Carolina Kluft in Gothenburg (© Getty Images)
Gothenburg, SwedenSweden’s Carolina Kluft, the Olympic and two-time World champion in the Heptathlon, met with the media this afternoon on the eve of her European title defense.
On her role as the overwhelming favourite:
“If I have 250 points on my competition now, that’s nothing at the start tomorrow. I have zero like everyone else. Eunice Barber,” of France, “hasn’t done a heptathlon yet this year and she’s always good. She can definitely do a high score.”
Can she attack her personal best of 7001 points, set while winning her first senior world title in Paris in 2003?
“I hope so. I think I’m in good enough shape. But I know that it’s getting harder and harder. If I want to do 7000 points everything has to be good. I can’t do a bad event. I have to do well in all seven events to achieve 7000 points. So everything has to come together at once.”
In Athens Kluft tallied 6952 points, and in Helsinki last year, 6887.
“In Athens it was too hot. I lost a lot of energy during the high jump and did a bad 200. In Helsinki last year I twisted my ankle just the day before the competition. Definitely I think I have the capacity to beat 7001 points, but I know that it’s going to be really hard.”
Is Jackie Joyner Kersee’s world record of 7291 a goal?
“Jackie Joyner Kersee’s record is a really good record. But the world record is not something that I have in my mind as something that I have to beat. I will try to achieve as good as I can with my body and my brain and see how far I can go. If I beat it, that would be great. If I have a chance before the 800 to run for it, than I will definitely do so.”
“But it will not be an individual goal for me. Because I know that I would just put pressure on myself that I can’t handle. And I don’t want to end my career being unhappy because I didn’t set a record. And I will not end my career chasing anything. A personal record, yes, but someone else’s record, no.”
On her recent minor hamstring problems:
“It’s getting better and better every day. I’ll probably feel it during the competition but hopefully it’s not going to be in my way from doing a great heptathlon. I just have to take it event by event. The hurdles will probably be the toughest event for me. And I know Eunice is a really good hurdler. So I really need to focus on the first event.”
After all her accolades, what motivates her to continue?
“There are three things that have motivated me since I was 19. The first, to have fun. To enjoy what I’m doing. If I don’t enjoy what I’m doing I won’t get good results. Second, is to always learn new things. Get new experiences, new adventures, see new places, meet new people. And third is to always do my best. To see how far I can go. I still think I can beat 7001 points.
"Those three were my motivation five years ago. Because of my medals, that motivation hasn’t changed. Because I can still have those three things. And I’m still motivated. If I lose one of those three, then I’d probably quit. But as long I still have them, I just have a good adventure.”
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
