Women’s heptathlon day one
Steven Downes for IAAF
20 October 2000 – After suffering a fall in the hurdles in one of her recent heptathlons, Carolina Kluft was relieved to get that event behind her on the first morning of the World Junior Championships here on Friday, as she began to build a commanding overnight lead.
Kluft finished the first day on 3636pts, with Russia’s Lidya Bashlykova second on 3517 and Jessica Zelinka, of Canada, and Finland’s Sanna Saarman contesting the bronze medal position between them, 3462 to 3403, after four disciplines in the seven-event all-round test.
Kluft, 17, the Swedish junior record-holder (5814), enjoyed a near faultless display, producing a 13.92sec run for second best in the hurdles (in which Saarman was outstanding, with 13.79), and winning the high jump with 1.80 metres and 200m with 24.61sec.
Only in the shot put did the Swede exhibit any weakness, with a modest 13.27m put.
With one of her strongest events, the long jump, to begin Saturday morning’s proceedings, Kluft seems set to win her county’s second gold of the championships, the most successful ever for Sweden.
