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Katarina Johnson-Thompson admits her first Olympic Games medal has been “a long time coming” and it feels “incredible” to have finally won one at her fourth Games.
Johnson-Thompson finished 13th on debut at London 2012 and came sixth in Rio four years later.
She was then forced to pull out of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after suffering a calf injury in the 200 metres.
Johnson-Thompson is a two-time world champion, taking the titles in Doha (2019) and Budapest (2023).
But her relief at finally securing an Olympic medal at the age of 31 is palpable.
“It feels incredible that you know we got one over the line,” she said. “It’s been a long time coming.
“It’s been a very short cycle but it’s my fourth Olympics and I’m really happy to add that medal to my collection.”
Johnson-Thompson acknowledges that there have been times when she wondered if an Olympic podium would prove elusive.
“I’ve had doubts all the time, every athlete I feel like, even if they don’t admit it, always has doubts – crippling doubts.
“But luckily I’ve got a team around me that has the belief in me that I sometimes don’t have in myself, and that leads me to do great things and I’m so grateful to them.”
Johnson-Thompson is optimistic about her future in the wake of her Paris Olympics breakthrough.
“I feel like as long as I’m competitive I will continue to do heptathlon,” she said.
“I’m really happy that I’m able to put together my heptathlon in a different way now and it’s given me such longevity in the sport.
“I’m really, really excited for the next couple of years.”
The World Athletics Championships are in Tokyo next September when Johnson-Thompson will be defending champion.
