Katarina Johnson-Thompson expresses pride after winning her first Olympic medal in the heptathlon - as Team GB star offers update on her future in athletics

 

• Katarina Johnson-Thompson won silver in the women's Olympics heptathlon
• The Team GB star won her first medal at what was her fourth Olympic games
• Johnson-Thompson has battled through several injury issues in recent years 

Katarina Johnson-Thompson admitted she was ‘relieved’ after ending her long wait for an Olympic medal with silver in the heptathlon last night.

Having led the competition after the first day, the world champion missed out on gold by just 36 points to Belgium’s Nafi Thiam, who won her third title in a row.

But Johnson-Thompson insisted she had no regrets having finally made the Olympic podium at her fourth attempt.

‘I'm just so relieved and so happy that I have an Olympic medal to add to my collection,’ said the 31-year-old, who has had to overcome injury issues since winning her first world title in 2019.

‘It was the only one I didn't have and it's been so hard getting back to this point.

 feel after the last two Olympics, I could have given up for different reasons. So I am grateful and emotional and overwhelmed. I have no regrets. To be on the podium is such an honour.’

Johnson-Thompson went into last night’s concluding 800 metres needing to beat Thiam by around 8.5sec to win gold and she ran a personal best of 2min 4.90sec. But with Thiam also clocking a new best of 2:10.62, it was not quite good enough for gold.

‘I wanted a medal, but I just wanted to have a chance at the start of the 800m and that's what I had,’ said the Liverpudlian. ‘It was a very far off chance - eight seconds - but that's what this sport is.

‘I was running for gold and it was pretty close. But Nafi is the greatest of all time. It is undisputed now. It’s an honour to have an actual rivalry against her.’

Johnson-Thompson also suggested she plans to carry on in the sport after the Olympics.

‘I have shown I can continue to still get PBs,’ she added. ‘I feel like as long as I am in the race, I will continue. But for now, I just want to rest, relax and drink some wine!’

Johnson-Thompson’s medal was Team GB’s seventh in athletics after the women’s 4x100m relay team won silver and the men’s quartet also landed a bronze last night.

Tonight, they have further chances in the men’s and women’s 4x400m relays, as well as the women’s 1500m with Laura Muir and Georgia Bell.

‘We can go and win it,’ said Matthew Hudson-Smith about the men’s 4x400m hopes. ‘We’ve got the team, we’ve got the mentality, we’ve got the coaching staff. Let’s make history. We can get the British record, European record and, if we dig deep, the world record.’