Katarina Johnson-Thompson Leads Heptathlon After Four Events, Eyes First Olympic Medal
British Athlete Shines with Personal Bests, Sets Stage for Dramatic Final Day
Great Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson has taken the lead in the heptathlon at the Paris 2024 Olympics, setting herself up for a potential first Olympic medal. The two-time world champion delivered standout performances in the shot put and 200m on Thursday evening to lead the standings after four events.
Johnson-Thompson, 31, produced a personal best throw of 14.44m in the shot put, a discipline she had previously struggled with. Her impressive effort allowed her to edge past Belgium’s Nafissatou Thiam, the two-time reigning Olympic champion, who had been in the lead after the high jump. Johnson-Thompson then clocked 23.44 seconds in the 200m, further solidifying her position at the top.
With a total of 4,055 points, Johnson-Thompson holds a narrow lead of 48 points over Thiam, with American Anna Hall 99 points behind the Briton. The heptathlon concludes on Friday with the long jump, javelin, and 800m events, which will determine the final standings.
Johnson-Thompson’s performance on the first day of the heptathlon saw her leading after strong season’s-best performances in the 100m hurdles and high jump. Despite Thiam's personal best throw of 15.54m in the shot put, Johnson-Thompson’s ability to limit her losses showcased her resilience and gold-medal potential.
Reflecting on her shot put achievement, Johnson-Thompson expressed her delight, noting it as one of the highlights of her career. “That was entirely for Denise Lewis sitting in the BBC studio,” she said, referencing the former Olympic champion. “It’s probably the best thing I’ve ever done in my career. I’m really pleased with how the day went, despite the fatigue.”
The heptathlon has been a challenging event for Johnson-Thompson, who faced career setbacks after a promising start. Following a career-threatening Achilles rupture and injury heartbreak in Tokyo, she made a remarkable comeback to win world gold in Budapest last year.
With Thiam absent from the world championships due to injury, Johnson-Thompson seized the opportunity to become world champion and now looks to complete the final chapter of her Olympic journey with a medal in Paris.
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