Katarina Johnson-Thompson delighted with silver medal after ‘bad luck’ at past Olympics - ‘The one I’ve been missing’
Published 10/08/2024 at 09:48 GMT
Katarina Johnson-Thompson branded her Olympic silver medal in the heptathlon as "the one I've been missing" after a turbulent association with the Games in the past. Injury ruled her out of the running at Tokyo 2020, but at the fourth time of trying the 31-year-old finally landed an Olympic accolade. “I’m just so happy to get this one over the line," she told Eurosport.
'Was that a dream?' - KJT opens up on Olympic silver after 'bad luck, stress and sacrifice'
Katarina Johnson-Thompson was in high spirits after claiming a maiden Olympic medal on Friday, which had been “a long time coming.”
The Team GB star narrowly missed out on a heptathlon gold at her fourth Olympic Games, as reigning champion Nafissatou Thiam stormed to an emphatic three-peat.
Johnson-Thompson was leading the pack as the event headed into its final day at the Stade de France, but a disappointing performance in the long jump derailed the Brit’s bid for gold.
In the end, the 31-year-old needed to beat Thiam by an unfathomable eight seconds in the 800m, and although she dominated her Belgian counterpart in the final event with a personal best, she did not get the required result.
But silver was just as special for the Liverpudlian, who finally ended a wait for an Olympic medal after a difficult relationship with the Games, having torn her calf muscle in the 200m in Tokyo just months after rupturing her Achilles tendon.
“This is the one that I’ve been missing, I’ve had such bad luck with the Olympics, unfortunate timing with the last one,” the two-time world champion told Eurosport.
“I’m just so happy to get this one over the line. It’s been a long time coming, a lot of stress, a lot of hard work and a lot of sacrifice, but I’m so happy me and the team got there.”
Track and field Paralympian Stef Reid noted that Johnson-Thompson looked a lot more expressive in Paris compared to other Games.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson reacts after the heptathlon 800m event.
Image credit: Getty Images
“It was an effort for me to do that [be expressive],” Johnson-Thompson explained.
“I feel like in the past I’ve been very within myself, and I’ve [been] working on my aggression, I’ve been working on my lack of inhibition.
“That was me just trying to be me and be whatever emotion that came. When I was upset with my performance, you could still see, but that was me trying to be uninhibited and just go for everything.”
Watch heptathlon finale in 800m as GB's Johnson-Thompson seals stunning silver
She added: “I feel like I’m quite controlled. In every aspect of my life I like to be in control and control things. In competition, that just doesn’t work. You’re very robotic when you’re in control, and I’ve got so many events to think about.
“At some point, you’ve just got to act and compete. That’s what I really wanted to do. I think it was apparent because a lot of my best attempts were when I was under pressure.
“That was a really important role that I’ve sort of learned this season, and I’m so happy [about it].”
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