Hypothetical Kluft

[michael lewis]

LJ 6.98 1199
HJ 1.92 1119
SP 15.07 855
JT 52.07 900

100H 12.88 1168
200 22.79 1169
800 2:09.99 983

TOTAL 7393

I picked out these performances based on what I think Carolina Kluft is capable of in Athens, built in a cushion in the HJ and totalled it up! It is 6 PRs, but she did that in Paris - where she also pulled the LJ out of the trash can at the last moment, so she has the mental goods. Let's give her a real big HJ cushion, say 1.84 which is 10cm under her Paris PR - she still gets the WR at 7305!

[Guest]

Re: Hypothetical Kluft

Kluft recent injury will preclude this result. Athens may be out for her.

[Guest]

Re: Hypothetical Kluft

Kluft won't be training again for 6-8 weeks , I don't think she has the passion to train at a high level.

[IFK_Vaxjo]

Re: Hypothetical Kluft

>Kluft won't be training again for 6-8 weeks , I don't think she has the passion
>to train at a high level.

What the he** are you talking about. There is no injury that will stop her. She is right now on a training camp on Martinique. A report came from the camp in my local paper today where everything was really good.

[Guest]

Re: Hypothetical Kluft

>Kluft recent injury will preclude this result. Athens may be out for her.
>Kluft won't be training again for 6-8 weeks , I don't think she has the passion
>to train at a high level.

Dear "Nike Tailwind" and "Speedy Gonnad"

It just amazing what completely unfounded rumours about another person you obviously seem to find OK to post - anonymously of course - as established facts on a forum like this.

The truth concerning Carolina's alleged "recent injury" is that there isn't one! The only problem since last summer has been a slight ancle sprain that bothered her for a few days in November.

Currently she is - as noted by IFK Vaxjö - at Martinique for a couple of weeks of break from the Swedish winter cold and darkness. She is sprinting and jumping at full force every day.

As for the expressed doubt concerning her "passion to train" that constitutes the ultimate proof that the author knows absolutely nothing about Carolina.

[Jon]

Re: Hypothetical Kluft

>LJ 6.98 1199
HJ 1.92 1119
SP 15.07 855
JT 52.07 900

100H 12.88
>1168
200 22.79 1169
800 2:09.99 983

TOTAL 7393

I picked out
>t these performances based on what I think Carolina Kluft is capable of in
>Athens, built in a cushion in the HJ and totalled it up! It is 6 PRs, but she
>did that in Paris - where she also pulled the LJ out of the trash can at the
>last moment, so she has the mental goods. Let's give her a real big HJ
>cushion, say 1.84 which is 10cm under her Paris PR - she still gets the WR at
>7305!




While I'm not doubting that she'll eventually be able to reach these marks, I doubt she'll set them ALL in the same heptathlon in Athens. In Paris she did what has only been done a few times before - setting PBs in 5 of the seven events (6 PRs, if you include the JT - she'd thrown 50.24 before Paris, but it wasn't in a heptathlon competiton). Off the top of my head, I know that Larisa Nikitina-Turchinskaya set quite a few PBs when she scored 7007, and Denise Lewis set about 4 individual PBs when she set her PB of 6831. However, lightning never strikes twice, and I doubt Kluft will set 5-6 individual PBs in Athens.

Indeed, I wouldn't be surprised if Kluft failed to go over 7,000 in Athens. Let's face it - her scores in Paris were bloody good, and it's going to be tough to beat them!! Even if she does score below 7,000, it shouldn't be seen as a failure.

It seems that after Paris, everyone's become a bit too enthusiastic about Kluft's potential, and in doing so, have placed a lot of pressure on her in order to perform well again and to keep improving over 7,000. Don't get me wrong - I'm excited about her potential as much as the next person, and I think she's ultimately capable of setting a great and amazing score, but let's not get too carried away here.

My bets for her scores in Athens are:

110mH - 13.05
HJ - 1.93
SP - 14.50
200m - 23.00
LJ - 6.80
JT - 50.10
800m - 2:12:00

TOTAL - 7071

Of course, she could easily make mistakes (as she did with the LJ in Paris, and as Denise did with the HJ in Paris), but I feel 7071 is a realistic target for her next year.

[Guest]

Re: Hypothetical Kluft

You don't have this information because you are not on the
"inside" , Her training has been derailed due to a series of micro ruptures in her left achilles tendon. All her ballistic training, jumping and sprinting has come to a halt.

[michael lewis]

Re: Hypothetical Kluft

"everyone's become a bit too enthusiastic about Kluft's potential"

I understand the reluctance to keep a cool head over the potential of a woman who is arguably the most exciting athlete to appear in this sport in many years. I think part of the potential comes from her doing so well, so young, so consistently, and still improving by leaps, bounds and throws, in the one event that takes longer to master than anything else. Her current improvement curve doesn't look like flattening anytime soon, and her LJ potential is IMHO going to take her out near the WR at some point in that event as well.

She is as tough mentally as she is gifted physically, her heptathlon LJ in Paris showed us that. I don't think pressure is going to be her nemesis.

[Guest]

Re: Hypothetical Kluft

I concur with those in the Kluft court.

I was in Paris and she has a compelling fierceness.

And her charisma hearkens back to Daley Thompson.

[MJR]

Re: Hypothetical Kluft

>And her charisma hearkens back to Daley Thompson.

It doesn't hurt that shes a tad better looking than Daley too. (drooling on my keyboard)

[Guest]

Re: Hypothetical Kluft

yep, up there with susan tiedtke...

isn't olsson her boyfriend??

[Jon]

Re: Hypothetical Kluft

No, Patrik Kristiansson is her boyfriend

[Guest]

Re: Hypothetical Kluft

We were recently in Rivere-Pilote, Martinique. They were awaiting the arrival of the Swedish Team. It will definetly be a nice break from the cold weather and the facilites are fine.

There are two stadiums in the area.

[Guest]

Re: Hypothetical Kluft

I suspect we'll have 3 Olympiads to enjoy her athletic skill.

The pressure is Paris didn't faze her at all.

perhaps we can say she was too young to know any better...

but having her talent would give anyone supreme confidence!!

and we can all go away carolina dreaming!!

[michael lewis]

Re: Hypothetical Kluft

"I suspect we'll have 3 Olympiads to enjoy her athletic skill."

At least. JJK competed in 4 and was 22 in her first outing in LA. Carolina will be 21 this year. And if the event morphs to a decathlon soon enough, this former part-time pole vaulter may be around even longer. We can surely hope!