Sweden's Kluft takes the lead in heptathlon

Sweden's Carolina Kluft led the field in the women's heptathlon after four events on the first day of the World Athletics Championship 2003.

The 20-year-old Kluft accumulated a total of 4143 points to gain a lead of 194 points over her nearest competitor, Eunice Barber of France. Natalya Sazanovich of Belarus was in third place with 3894 points, just 55 points adrift of Barber.

Barber, 29, won the first event of the heptathlon, the 100m hurdles, when she cleared the course in 13.05 seconds to gain 1117 points. Kluft, who was also in the second heat with Barber, posted a personal best time of 13.18 seconds to come in second with 1097 points. The German Sonja Kesselschlager was third with 1074 points. She won the third heat in 13.34 seconds.

But Kluft took the lead in the second event when she cleared 1.94m in the high jump, again a personal best, to garner 1158 points. Barber also posted a season's best of 1.91m, but that only fetched her 1119 points. Julie Hollman of Great Britain and Tia Hellebaut of Belgium tied for third place with 1.85m and 1041 points each.

Thus, at the end of the second event, Kluft was leading with 2255 points, with Barber in second place with 2236 and Hollman, Kesselschlager and Yelena Prokhorova of Russia close behind with 2005, 2002 and 2000 points, respectively. Sazanovich at this stage was lying in eighth position with 1954 points.

But the 30-year-old Belarusian made a lot of ground in the next event, the shot put, when she won it by throwing the rock 16.81m for a personal best mark and 983 points.

Kluft achieved a personal best in this event also, with a throw of 14.19m on her third attempt, but it was good enough only for sixth place and 807 points. Barber managed just 12.97m and 725 points, also a personal best. Hollman and Hellebaut both suffered in this event, with throws of 12.05m and 11.66m for 664 and 639 points, respectively.

At the end of the third round, Kluft was ahead with 3062 points, followed by Barber with 2961 and Sazanovich with 2937.

In the fourth and final event of the day, the 200m, Kluft again posted a personal best of 22.98 seconds to top the field and gain 1081 points. Barber was second in 23.92 seconds, her personal best, which fetched her 988 points. Sazanovich lost some ground, coming in fifth with a time of 24.25 seconds to gain 957 points.

The remaining three events, the long jump, the javelin throw, and the 800m, will take place on Sunday.