Carolina Kluft of Sweden celebrates winning gold in the Heptathlon (© Getty Images)
Few athletes now arriving in Osaka are as heavily favoured to capture gold than two-time defending Heptathlon champion Carolina Klüft. But the 24-year-old Swede, who on Saturday begins her quest for an unprecedented third world title, refuses to see it that way.
“When we start on Saturday, we all have zero points,” Klüft said. “It’s seven events and anything can happen.”
True enough, although what has happened in each of the 17 competitions she’s contested since taking the European junior title on 22 July 2001, is that Klüft keeps winning. Hers is the longest women’s win streak in the sport, but that too is another statistic that Klüft refuses to dwell upon.
“I try to just keep my focus on my own competition, take one event by one event. I know that I can do a competition that I’m happy about. If I thought about that, I’d be putting a lot of pressure on myself. So I just need to keep my focus on one event by event.”
Nor does Klüft, one of only three women who has ever tallied more than 7000 points, preoccupy her time with thoughts of Jackie Joyner Kersee’s 7291 point World record, one which has stood since 1988.
“I never have that in my mind,” Klüft admits. “I’m not sure I even have the ability to break it. I would feel bad if I had the pressure of a goal that I’m not sure I could achieve.”
So instead, Klüft, like so many other multi-event specialists, focuses entirely on herself.
“I focus on my own (personal) record. Because I know that I can beat my own record. And I’m not going to end my career being disappointed because I’ve chased a record that I may never get. It’s a great record, and I have my own things to be happy about it. Jackie Joyner Kersee was a great athlete and if she keeps the record for ever, good for her.”
But Klüft is quite certain of one thing as Saturday’s competition approaches.
“This is going to be a really, really great competition. There are a lot of athletes who are improving and doing great. It’s hard to say just three names. And that’s what makes the competition fun. It will great for the crowd to watch and follow.”
While she insists that her biggest opponent is herself, she thrives on the competition and camaraderie among her rivals on the field.
“We’ve always had great competitions,” she said. “I get inspired by the others. A lot of them are my friends. And when they do a good result, it pushes me, it inspires me.”
But in the end, it’s all very personal to Klüft, who at just 24, has already won every title available to her.
“For me it’s about having important things that can push me and motivate me,” she said. “And I still have those things in sport. More adventures, more lessons to learn, and to improve. I just try to follow my heart and see how long I can motivate myself. Right now, that’s not a problem.”
As for the weather conditions, expected to be hot and muggy, Klüft chooses to look on the bright side.
“I just have to try to do the best in whatever situation that I’m in,” she said, then adding: “Hey, it’s sunshine! It’s worse to be in the rain.”
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
