Kluft out of Olympic triple jump

Kluft has traditionally rivalled GB's Kelly Sotherton in the heptathlon

Carolina Kluft, the Swedish athlete who dropped out of the heptathlon to focus on other Olympic events, has failed to make it through triple jump qualifying.

Kluft, the heptathlon world champion, posted a best jump of 13.97m, outside the qualifying mark of 14.44m and well behind Cuban Yargelis Savigne's 14.99m.

"I didn't find my technique," Kluft told BBC Sport. "Today was quite bad but I'm here to learn for the future."

She will now compete in the long jump at the Bird's Nest.

"My goals are higher for the long jump and I'm hoping to do the qualification well and go to the final, and hopefully do my best," she added.

Kluft's withdrawal from the Olympic heptathlon was a boost for British heptathlete Kelly Sotherton's hopes of winning a medal.

But Kluft told the BBC she was paying little attention to her old adversaries in Beijing.

"When I'm on the track I want to focus on my own event," she said.

"But I saw (the heptathletes) on the track, it's great to see them and I wish them good luck."