Kluft ranks with best, Joyner-Kersee says

By Gene Cherry

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters) - Whether Swedish double Olympic champion Carolina Kluft competes again in the heptathlon or not, she has secured a lofty all-time ranking in the event, world record holder Jackie Joyner-Kersee said on Thursday.

"I would put her second to me," the retired Joyner-Kersee told Reuters via telephone during a business trip to Washington.

Three world championships, an Olympic gold medal, two scores over 7,000 points and great consistency have given Kluft the spot, Joyner-Kersee said a day after the Swede announced she would forego the defense of her Olympic title in Beijing to focus on the long and triple jumps.

"I truly enjoy watching her," said Joyner-Kersee, who set the heptathlon world record of 7,291 points in 1988.

"She is a very fierce competitor and very determined. Mentally she reminds me of myself. I also like her attitude and her energy toward each event."

The pressure of never having lost a heptathlon since 2001 has no doubt taken some of the fun out of the event, Joyner-Kersee said.

However, she expected Kluft to return to the seven-event competition one day.

"I don't know what her training is right now," said the American.