Katarina Johnson-Thompson 'more motivated than ever' as heptathlon star eyes title in Rome on road to Paris 2024
By Rhys Jones
Published 13/05/2024 at 19:22 GMT+1
Katarina Johnson-Thompson is eager to pick up her first European Athletics Championships title in Rome in June en route to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The Brit is yet to finish on the podium at the Olympics after three appearances but was crowned world champion in Hungary last year. The heptathlon star is hoping to back that accolade up with an impressive performance in the Italian capital.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson boosts medal hopes with impressive 200m run
Video credit: TNT Sports
Katarina Johnson-Thompson is "more motivated than ever" as she approaches the European Athletic Championships in the run-up to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The heptathlon world champion is set on winning a maiden European title to propel her towards the Paris Games.
She said: "I'm feeling really motivated - probably more motivated than ever coming off the back of last year. Now I just want to put out a good performance."
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The Liverpudlian has underlined the event in the Italian capital as a critical target in her pre-Games calendar.
The Olympic and European outdoor crowns are the only titles to have eluded the heptathlete in her storybook career so far, with Johnson-Thompson targeting the latter when she lines up at the Olympic Stadium in Rome from June 7-12.
"It's a title I haven't won - it's a title I would like to have," said the 31-year-old. "But as a heptathlete, I know so much can go right, so much can go wrong, so much can happen, so much can happen in the lead-up.
"I just really want to put out a good performance and I think I can get the best performances when I say that rather than thinking about the outcome."
Standing in Johnson-Thompson's way will be long-time rival Nafi Thiam.
They are the foremost heptathletes of their era but the pair have not been truly fit and firing for a head-to-head battle since winning gold and silver at the 2018 European Championships, both have since faced Achilles injuries.
Thiam was wearing heavy strapping on her elbow when Johnson-Thompson took gold at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, the British star's first world title and the Belgian's first defeat since 2016.
Johnson-Thompson battled injury issues at Tokyo 2020 and languished in eighth - the lowest point of her career. Thiam then returned to the top spot at the 2022 Worlds in Eugene.
Double Olympic gold medallist Thiam was absent with Achilles issues when Johnson-Thompson was crowned world champion in Budapest last summer but the pair look to be on a collision course in the Italian capital.
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Johnson-Thompson wins heptathlon gold at World Athletics Championships
Video credit: TNT Sports
The duo's friendly rivalry has loomed over women's multi-eventing since the retirement of Jessica Ennis-Hill in 2016.
Johnson-Thompson made her Olympic debut as a wide-eyed teenager at London 2012 and took inspiration from Ennis-Hill's composure under unimaginable pressure.
"In 2012, she was somebody I was just watching more than anything else," Johnson-Thompson remembers.
"She allowed me to be part of those two days - that was quite special for everyone. I was behind the scenes watching how she dealt with it, watching what she did between events. It shows me what was possible.
"It was an important phase of my life - I was learning about the sport without the pressures of the sport. She taught me a lot in different phases in her career but at that stage, it was about how to conduct yourself."
Johnson-Thompson has come a long way since being plucked out of a crowd at school and being asked to try the high jump because of her height.
Ennis-Hill might have driven her forward but Johnson-Thompson is unequivocal when it comes to her biggest inspiration: mum Tracey.
"My mum did everything," she said. "She didn't have a car for her to ferry me around in but we would go a lot of places together on the bus or on the train but we would have an adventure each time.
"My mum has only missed a handful of competitions to this day. She is such a positive influence in my life. When I realise the amount of time she's given to me, I definitely admire her."
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