Sotherton faces up to Kluft yet again

Commonwealth champion Kelly Sotherton opens her heptathlon campaign when facing arch-rival Carolina Kluft at the Gotzis Hyper-meeting in Austria over the weekend.

Sotherton almost brought 24-year-old Kluft's five years unbeaten multi-events record to an end in March losing the European Indoor pentathlon title to the Swede by just 17 points.

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The pair fought a brilliant battle in Birmingham and Sotherton, who smashed her Commonwealth record, will be determined to carry that form into the summer season.

However outdoors there is still a huge question mark about Sotherton's javelin throwing ability which has cost her dearly in recent years.

Her inability to produce even a half decent throw has seen her in the past two summers, when definitely in contention to achieve a podium finish, lose out on medals at the World and European Championships.

Sotherton, now being guided by former World bronze medallist Mick Hill, needs no reminding of her Achilles heel, which could again cost her dearly at the World Championships in August.

The 30-year-old Olympic bronze medallist is a fighter and with fellow Briton Jessica Ennis currently topping the World rankings, she has added impetus to steer her career back on course.