Former champions head Olympic villages

Retired champions Yelena Isinbayeva and Svetlana Zhurova have come back to feel the Olympic atmosphere, this time as gracious hostesses.

Zhurova, 42, found her way back to the Olympic festivity as the mayor of an athletes village. She admitted that she was missing the Games, reports Xinhua.

"I spent 25 years in the sport, 17 years as a top competitor. Of course I miss it and I miss more being around the people that I've trained and competed with," Zhurova said Wednesday.

Zhurova, who had been involved in the Olympic bidding process, said the moment when Sochi won the right to host the 2014 Games was emotional.

"It was like winning a second gold medal when we got it," Zhurova said ahead of the Games which will be held here from Feb 7-23.

Zhurova edged China's Wang Mengli, then World No.1, to win the 500 metres gold at the 2006 Winter Games. Her arch rival Wang picked up a coaching job in the Chinese national team after retirement.

Multi-Olympic and World Champion Isinbayeva, 32, keeps an eye on the 47-building coastal Olympic village that will house 2,000 athletes and officials.

"I always did the best to be a great athlete in my sporting career and I will do the same to be a great mayor to make you all feel at home," said the former pole vaulter at the village's opening ceremony.