Father and coach back Kluft's heptathlon withdrawal

By Raissa Kasolowsky

LONDON (Reuters) - The two leading figures in Olympic champion Carolina Kluft's rise to the top of world athletics have backed her decision not to defend the heptathlon gold and said the move was a big relief for the Swede.

Kluft's father and manager Johnny said on Thursday the high expectations on his daughter at last year's world championships in Osaka had affected her motivation.

"She always said it must be fun and she must enjoy it. Last year was more pressure than fun for her," her father said in a telephone interview with Reuters.

"Everyone said she would take a gold medal... if she takes a silver medal people will wonder what's happening with her."

His views were backed by her coach Arne Bergvall who described how the sparkle returned to the athlete's eyes after deciding not to defend her title in August's Beijing Games.

The 25-year-old Kluft, unbeaten in six years, said on Wednesday she would not defend her heptathlon gold because she no longer had the same hunger for the discipline.

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