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Ivanova is a walking record, Kluft leads
"Maybe I was not ready to win then. Now I'll continue to Beijing (2008 Olympics) but next year I might not compete at all," added Ivanova, who was so good at her event that in 2001 that she achieved the qualifying mark for the men's event. The Russian's path to glory was eased when Chinese No 1 Jiang Jing who clocked up the second best time this season going into the championships was disqualified after receiving three warnings. There were tears too for Greek Olympic champion Athanasia Tsoumeleka, who was in fourth and challenging for a medal with the stadium in sight when she was called for a third time. For Ivanova it represents redemption after she received a two year doping ban in 1997 after winning silver in the 10,000m walk at the world championships she used her time well to become a black belt in the martial arts. Olympic champion Carolina Kluft looked poised to retain her world heptathlon title when she headed into the final event yesterday with a narrow but comfortable lead over Eunice Barber of France. Before the evening's 800-meter race, Kluft had 5,906 points and Barber had 5,888. Kluft is normally a faster 800 runner and the 18-point margin should see her safely to her second consecutive world title in the grueling two-day, seven-event competition. Barber needs to run at least 1.2 seconds faster than Kluft. "I was a little worried before that it wouldn't feel good, but it did," Kluft said of her ankle injury.
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