 Kluft celebrates gold at the World Indoors |
Swedish heptathlete Carolina Kluft has set her sights on the 2004 Olympics after getting the better of rival Denise Lewis in Tallinn. A year ago, aged 19, she paraded around the Munich stadium after winning a sensational gold at the European Championships, weeks after taking the world junior title.
Wind the clock forward to March and to the Birmingham World Indoors and she did it again, taking another gold.
It's time to sit up and take notice.
And Lewis will have done just that after returning to action for the first time since giving birth with a second place finish to Kluft at the Spar European Cup on Sunday.
The 20-year-old Swede may be the young pretender but she told this website how she was looking forward to learning from the British star.
 When you do heptathlon it takes everything out of your body |
"I have so much to learn from someone like Lewis," Kluft said.
"She's older than me and has got so much experience."
Kluft's mother was a long jumper and her dad a footballer so it is no wonder their daughter is heading for sporting greatness.
In these heady days of professionalism, enjoying your sport and respecting your opposition are all too rare.
But Kluft is magnanimous.
 Sweden's great thinker |
"My family always wanted me to have fun and never pushed me. I love being on the track and that's why I keep smiling," she said.
"I'm nothing special. I'm not a star, just someone doing something I enjoy. And I want my competitors to have fun as well.
"I don't want them to be sad - I want them to have success as well. If they beat me then they will deserve it."
Nice as that sounds, there is no doubting the drive behind the generosity and there is only one direction Kluft is focusing on.
"I try not to look back - always ahead. I am dreaming of Athens but it's a bit silly to think too far ahead.
"There are many things that can go wrong such as illness or injuries. I will train for better results but I don't think too much about medals.
"We will see. In any competition the best athlete will win and if it's not me then so be it."
MMIX
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