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Klüft to retire following 2012 London Olympics

Published: 19 May 11 06:53 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/33858/20110519/

Sweden's three-time world heptathlon champion Carolina Klüft, who now competes in the long jump, will retire after the London Olympics in 2012.

"Then'll be time for me to do something else. I've been competing in athletics for a long time even if I'm not so old. There are so many other things I want to do," Klüft told Radiosporten radio.

"Some lose motivation from the moment when they start to think that it's time to retire. But I've always known that I also wanted to do something else in my life."

The 28-year-old, also Olympic heptathlon champion at the 2004 Athens Games, didn't specify what avenues she might follow, but did rule out becoming a coach.

"I think I'm starting to become saturated with sport and I want to do something else completely different. I think I'll still be able to motivate people, but maybe in other fields and not in sport.

"I just don't find training fun at all. Thinking about what you must do to be as good as possible doesn't interest me."

Klüft triumphed in the heptathlon at the World Championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007 and tasted Olympic success in 2004 but now focuses on the long jump.

She missed the 2009 World Championships in Berlin through injury, and will have this year's August 27-September 4 worlds in Daegu, South Korea, on her radar before the London Olympics.

According to Radiosporten, Klüft will also try to snag a place in the Swedish women's 4x100m relay team.

AFP/The Local (news@thelocal.se)

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11:30 May 19, 2011 by Rishonim
I wonder what will her options be? Open a boring cafe in Karlskrona, become an morose sports commentator for one of the really insipid TV station; or work for the police like Kiki Bengtsson??
12:50 May 19, 2011 by Frank Arbach
..........these sound like really exciting options to me...Lol
20:14 May 19, 2011 by Tanskalainen
Does she need a place to stay after she retires?
21:58 May 19, 2011 by Swedesmith
Do you think you can keep her in shape, Tans???
02:24 May 20, 2011 by Tanskalainen
@Swedesmith Well, like a retired thoroughbred, staying in shape is probably the last thing on her mind. Actually she is going to get ME in shape playing "hide the salaam", "round the world", etc.
02:28 May 20, 2011 by cookiemaster
Better than even Mercedes Benz :p
14:39 May 25, 2011 by Jes
Good for her !

Sports was turning her into a man . Anyone seen her adams apple lately ?

Its so enormus one fears its about to burts out of the skin ?
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