Is Klüft changing track?

This summer’s IAAF World championships in Athletics, Osaka, Japan (25 Aug to 2 Sep 2007) could be Carolina Klüft’s final appearance as a heptathlete at the ‘Worlds’, but before her rivals jump for joy, this in no way means that retirement is on the cards – just a change of direction.

Beijing 2008 Olympics is set for the final act as the world’s greatest multi-eventer of modern times, but that only applies to major championships, because Klüft fully intends to turn up complete with her bag of heptathlete tricks on a smaller stage: “I will never be able to say that I have done my last heptathlon,” the 24-year-old told Dagens Nyheter on 26 July. “There is always the possibility that I might take part in the European Cup or some such event.”

But after Beijing the major championships might well have seen the last of her flying around the seven disciplines that make up the event that has brought her everlasting fame. But even that is a decision that is yet to be taken: “I shall make a decision on this after the Olympic Games in the autumn (of 2008).”  In other words, despite recent reports, nothing is set in stone.

However, after reigning supreme for most of this century, Klüft does at least admit to a hankering after change: “It would be nice to try something new, to just concentrate on one event,” she said.  And it comes as no surprise that the long jump is the likeliest choice.

With a best of 6.97m and a World Indoor bronze already to her name (and two European under-23 golds), Klüft is clearly someone to be reckoned with if she should dedicate herself full-time to the Long Jump. In major events in the past she has doubled up the Heptathlon with the Long Jump with variable success. But it was clear that she was always struggling with the fatigue of two days of the Heptathlon in her body as a handicap to serious intentions. However, the prospect of her turning full-time to the event is intriguing for what she could unleash. “But even if I were to concentrate on one event, I would still do a lot of different training,” she continued, as if leaving the door open to the multi-events.

As for her preparations for Osaka, she is looking to improve her Javelin Throw, which is already excellent at close to 50m in the heptathlon. There have, however, been problems this year: “The javelin is an event I hope to improve in. For some time I have had pain in a shoulder and have not been able to throw at my maximum in training. I won’t be taking all three throws this evening (in Karlstad on 26 July), but I hope to have three throws at my maximum,” she concluded.

Postscript – in Karlstad, Klüft was 0.03 off her best in the hurdles but only 43+ in the Javelin and with a sore shoulder.

Michael Butcher for the IAAF