Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s hopes of taking team-mate Jessica Ennis-Hill’s Olympic heptathlon title in Rio were dealt a hammer blow by a woeful shot put performance. “I want to be the best at what I do”, said Ennis-Hill who hailed new champion Thiam.
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Ennis-Hill needed to beat Thiam by almost 10 seconds in the closing 800m but Thiam, who produced five personal bests from seven events, managed to pace her run well and eventually prevailed by a total of 35 points. “But I just thought, I’m going to run hard like I always do”.
“I have no doubt they would continue to help me for another year, but it’s such a tough event”.
If there had been a roof on the stadium it would have come off as flag waving Brits screamed “Go Jess, Go Jess” and could nearly hear the same all over Britain, as the country stayed up until after 3am to will her on. “I guess my life is going to change, I am still at university so maybe I have a decision to make”.
“I’m pretty emotional but these are happy tears”, said Ennis-Hill.
Johnson-Thompson’s effort saw her take the lead on 2,264 points, with Thiam in second (2,252) and Ennis-Hill third (2,242). And when she returned to training, she initially could not lift heavy weights because her stomach muscles weren’t knitted together after pregnancy, while the greater flexibility she had accrued during that time also hindered her training.
Ennis-Hill celebrated her medal with a glass of champagne at the Olympic Village after arriving back at around 3am.
Johnson-Thompson added: “I’m going backwards a bit, aren’t I?” I knew she was running for that gold medal.
“She would have been better off doing a standing throw”, said exasperated 2000 Olympic champion Denise Lewis in commentary for the BBC.
“These were my second Olympics and to win gold at my first and silver here makes me so proud”.
But, the most gutting part of it all is we may have just witnessed Jessica Ennis-Hill’s final event.
Ennis-Hill will head into the second day of competition on 4,057 points, 101 down on the same stage at London 2012.
The 30-year-old said she had nearly made up her mind over her future, but wanted to take her time over such a “huge decision”.
Derry Suter, the therapist, her physio Alison Rose and coach Toni Minichiello, who has been with her since she was a schoolgirl, have earned their keep over the last 21 months since Ennis-Hill committed to making a comeback after having son Reggie, now two. But she just wasn’t quite able to hit the highest notes enough, her long jump of 6.34m and javelin of 46.06 on the second day being good but not exceptional.
“I want to be remembered as one of the great athletes that came into the heptathlon”.
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And then everyone really was feeling teary.
