Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva has delayed the start of her outdoor season by pulling out of a meeting in Reims, France, on July 4.

In a statement on Monday, Isinbayeva said she and her coach Yevgeniy Trofimov had decided the Russian needed more time to work on her technique.

“My training has been going well but I still need a bit more time to make sure I am ready for this summer and, ultimately, the London Olympic Games,” she said.

World record holder Isinbayeva, 30, won the Olympic title in Athens in 2004 and again in Beijing four years later.

After an 11-month break, she set a world indoor record of 5,01 metres in Stockholm this year. She is scheduled to compete in Sotterville, France, on July 10 and in Monaco 10 days later before the Olympics open on July 27.