Article courtesy of IAAF <http://www.iaaf.org/news/> and Reuters: Bubka says farewell in front of 5,000 fans 4 February 2001 - Donetsk, Ukraine - Sergey Bubka, the world's greatest pole vaulter, closed the final chapter of his record-breaking career on Sunday at a farewell meeting in his home town. The Ukrainian legend watched from the VIP box as a capacity crowd of 5,000 crammed into Dzuzhba Sports Palace for the Sergey Bubka invitational meet. He was awarded the country's highest honour - the Hero of Ukraine medal - by President Leonid Kuchma. "This is a very difficult day for me and I almost have tears in my eyes," said Bubka during the five-hour meet. "I am only beginning to realise that from now on I will never step on the track for another jump. "My career as an active sportsman has come to an end, but that doesn't mean that I'm going away," said the 37-year-old. "At this moment I'd like to say kind words to those who took me into their hearts along the way, who helped perfect my mastery of the sport. "I want to thank my mentors, my loved ones and my countrymen." Bubka won an unprecedented six straight world titles and the 1988 Olympic gold medal. He received congratulations from Prince Albert of Monaco, IAAF president Lamine Diack and AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko, who sent messages via a giant television screen. "For me he (Bubka) was and still is a true role model of Ukrainian sports," said Shevchenko. "He is the face of Ukrainian sports, a real sports genius." During a laser show Bubka's silhouette went over an imaginary bar at 6.15 metres -- the height of the world indoor record he set in the same arena eight years ago. As the lights came on again, Bubka, who by then had changed into his track suit, walked away from the pit as if he had just completed the record jump.
