Is Carolina Kluft unstoppable?
 Kluft was forced to dig deep for victory in Gothenburg |
Even with a hamstring injury so bad that she was reduced to tears just before competition began, Kluft retained her European heptathlon title in style on Tuesday evening.
Unbeaten in more than four years, she has won the full set of Olympic, world, world indoor, European and European indoor titles.
But what exactly sets her apart from her rivals? Britain's Kelly Sotherton, who has observed her at close quarters over the past three seasons, reveals all.
HER STRENGTH IN ADVERSITY
"Carolina deals brilliantly with any problems she may have during the two days of competition," says Sotherton.
"It's amazing how she will adapt. If she has a poor event, she won't dwell on it - she'll come straight back in the next with a personal best.
"It's a key part of the heptathlon - the ability to get yourself up after a bad event and bounce back in the next one, rather than taking it with you to the next event."
HER ABILITY TO DEAL WITH PRESSURE
"Her mental skills are far greater than anyone else's," says Sotherton.
"I'm sure she feels the pressure as much as anyone else, but she deals with it in a different way.
"This time, in her home country, I thought she might feel it a little bit more - but she actually used it to help her.
"When we stand there on the start line for the first event, any of us has the ability to win.
"It all boils down to who has it upstairs, who wants it the most and who is prepared to sacrifice the most.
"The answer is always Carolina.
"She had the complete package of skills at 18 years old. It came very naturally to her.
"She's had a few stumbles along the way this season with injury, which is why this was even more of a test for her than the World Championships last summer."
HER ATTITUDE TO HER RIVALS
"She's very supportive of all her fellow competitors," reveals Sotherton.
 Kluft has been number one in the world for more than 200 weeks |
"She just enjoys her athletics and she wants everyone else to have fun too.
She doesn't put herself on a pedestal or anything. she's very down to earth - that's how she is in life, and that's how she is in competition.
"When I take part in the individual long jump, the atmosphere is completely different.
"I'll support everybody - I'll clap my hands, cheer them on - but only a handful of girls do that. Most don't.
"It's a completely different game when you're competing against Kluft.
"She's extremely competitive, but at the same time as being incredibly friendly and supportive. I don't know how she does it.
"Although we always want to beat each other, it's not cut-throat or bitchy at all.
"It's good fun to compete against her. It is all about winning, but it's also about enjoying winning. In the heptathlon, the camaraderie is there."
HER REFUSAL TO GIVE IN
"You know with Carolina that she gives it everything.
"You can see it in her eyes when she finishes - she has given it everything. Not every athlete can do that.
"Her character makes all the difference. You could have all the talent in the world, but if you don't have the right attitude, you'll never make it.
"There are a lot of very talented athletes who never make it to the top, simply because they don't have it upstairs.
"She has her eyes on the prize the whole time. She is a remarkable athlete."
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Academy: Carolina Kluft's heptathlon masterclass
