Beijing Olympics: Heptathlon Preview
Posted by Jimmie R. Markham | August 14, 2008
With 2007 world champion Carolina Klüft out of the picture, the Beijing Olympic Heptathlon should be another wide-open affair. Of the 11 entrants who have PRs of 6400+ points, 7 have set their PRs this season. Klüft has decided to forgo the Beijing Heptathlon in favor of the Long Jump and Triple Jump. Jessica Ennis, who finished 4th in Osaka, is injured and will not be competing.
Osaka silver medalist Lyudmila Blonksa owns the best PR of the Beijing field and the 3rd best score of 2008. Hyleas Fountain and Tatyana Chernova have the two highest scores in the world this season. Olga Kurban, Kelly Sotherton and Lilli Schwarzkopf are also 6500+ Heptathletes. Those six should be right in the mix in the battle for the three Beijing Heptathlon medals. Here are the ones to watch:
| Athlete | NAT | SB | PB | Osaka Place |
| Lyudmila Blonska | UKR | 6570 | 6832 | 2 |
| Hyleas Fountain | USA | 6667 | 6667 | DNF |
| Tatyana Chernova | RUS | 6618 | 6618 | DNF |
| Olga Kurban | RUS | 6559 | 6559 | 19 |
| Kelly Sotherton | GBR | 6547 | 3 | |
| Lilli Schwarzkopf | GER | 6536 | 6536 | 5 |
| Kamila Chudzik | POL | 6494 | 6494 | 21 |
| Anna Bogdanova | RUS | 6452 | 6452 | 10 |
| Jennifer Oeser | GER | 6436 | 6436 | 7 |
| Austra Skujyte | LTU | 6235 | 6435 | 6 |
| Karolina Tyminska | POL | 6351 | 6402 | 15 |
| Nataliya Dobrynska | UKR | 6268 | 6387 | 8 |
| Marie Collonvillé | FRA | 6256 | 6350 | 9 |
| Sonja Kesselschläger | GER | 6311 | 6311 | 13 |
| Kylie Wheeler | AUS | 6087 | 6298 | 12 |
| Ida Marcussen | NOR | 6213 | 6226 | 11 |
| Jolanda Keizer | NED | 6105 | 6219 | 14 |
Topics: Beijing Previews, Blog, Multi-events, Olympic Games, Other |