NOS Sport•
“Why don’t I take the step they are making?” That question continued to torment athlete Lieke Klaver after a year of extremes. There was the absolute highlight of her individual career with the European indoor title in Apeldoorn. But also a huge disappointment when she did not reach the final at the outdoor World Championships in September.
She was “sad, angry and very critical” after that tournament, the main goal and closing event of the season. “It was confirmation that what we did during the year was not good enough. It says nothing about my body, but it does say about the training intensity and the program.”
During an extensive reflection, Klaver expressed her doubts to national coach Laurent Meuwly and in conversations with family members, her management and psychologist. Did things have to change completely?
“We doubted whether my place at Papendal would make me any better. Those were honest, open conversations,” Klaver said in Potchefstroom, South Africa, where she prepared for the new season in warm temperatures this month with a large group of (Dutch) top athletes.
Klaver trains with conclusions from a year of extremes: ‘Wants to stay among the world’s best’
The doubts can be explained. Last year was the first time she was not faster than the year before. Her top form was never found in the outdoor season, her times remained above 50 seconds, and therefore also above her personal record (49.58).
And while things around her are getting faster and faster in her specialty, the 400 meters. Even the world record (47.60) from 1985, considered untouchable for a long time, is suddenly in question.
Klaver looks with admiration at the top times of her competitors. Change is necessary to keep up.
It did not result in a departure from top sports center Papendal – where she has been training daily for years – or a break with coach Meuwly. Together with the Swiss, Klaver is fine-tuning her approach.
Lieke Klaver’s year of extremes in the 400 meters; gold in Apeldoorn and disappointment in Tokyo:
“Mentally I am still super fresh and young. Physically I am super strong, I can handle a lot. And with many things in the process I am still improving. So that shows me that it can be even better, but it is just a few buttons that we have to turn.”
A little less power, more attention
Changes were implemented this winter in both training and guidance. The sprinter had become too powerful for the 400 meters. “I can’t do anything about that. I’m just getting muscular very quickly.”
“Now I do less strength training once a week and I run more for longer. So far it’s going very well, the figures are also good.”
The longer running in training should ensure that Klaver no longer ‘stands still’. Halfway through races on the full lap on the track, her strength sometimes decreased, in the future she hopes to distribute her strength better.
“The approach with my psychologist is also different. And I have more moments when I have an update with Laurent (Meuwly, ed.). That he also knows how I am doing. A little more often, a little more attention. I needed confirmation more often that things were going well. I just wasn’t always feeling well.”
It was also concluded that Klaver benefits from more competition during training, something she missed last year. “I always try to push myself, but I think I just missed that few percent because of that.”
Small family
The personal attention is important to Klaver, who feels like a privileged person at a training camp in South Africa and takes care of her training group.
“We are a small family, we travel a lot together and do a lot together under pressure. I think you should look out for each other, I want the young people to really study, continue to see their friends and talk about their feelings. If we can do it together, that’s much better, isn’t it?”
Her indoor season starts on February 3 in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Her first peak moment is at the world indoor championships, which will be held in Poland in March. The European Championships in the open air are the main goal, and Klaver is aiming for the Dutch record (49.44), which is held by former training partner Femke Bol.
Due to Bol’s switch to the 800 meters, the often golden duo will only form a team for relays, no longer for training. Klaver, laughing: “I’m certainly not going to join her. That’s way too hard.”
