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Katarina Johnson-Thompson declared “it’s not over yet” but admitted she was delighted with day one of the Olympic heptathlon competition after finishing top of the pack.
The reigning world champion enters day two with a combined 4055 points, 48 more than Belgian rival and defending Olympic champion Nafissatou Thiam and 99 ahead of the United States’ Anna Hall, Thursday’s third-place finisher.
Johnson-Thompson set a personal best in the shot put of 14.44, cleared 1.92m in the high jump – her highest in five years – and ran a season’s best 13.40 in the 100m hurdles.
She said: “It was a good day. One of all the best I had in a long time. A couple of really good signs and events so I’m really, really pleased with what I put together.
It was a good day. One of all the best I had in a long time.— Katarina Johnson-Thompson
“I’ve been saying training has been going really well. I had no injuries since Rome, you know, so I’ve been putting together weeks and weeks.
“You never really know what to expect when you don’t compete as much. But I’m really happy I was able to to put out what I’ve been seeing in training.”
Next up are the long jump and javelin on Friday morning, and the competition will conclude later in the evening with the 800 metres.
Johnson-Thompson said: “It doesn’t really mean anything (to be in front at the end of day one), 50 metres down in a 100 metres race, you know. So I’m happy that I’ve been able to put together solid events and work on my weaknesses. Another day tomorrow – it’s not over yet.”
Thiam briefly took a 50-point lead in the shot put when she equalled her personal best 15.54 for the best throw of the evening, but the Briton regained her advantage after finishing fastest with 23.44 in the 200 metres.
Johnson-Thompson’s 14.44 was also a personal best, but only good enough for fifth-furthest.
The heptathlete told the BBC: “That was entirely for Denise Lewis sitting in the studio, probably the best thing I’ve ever done in my career, and I’ve jumped 1.98 (before). That topped everything. A little 14 metre shot put.”
Great Britain’s second heptathlete, Oxford Olympic debutante Jade O’Dowda, is 17th after day one.
Laura Muir and Georgia Bell both saw themselves through to Saturday’s 1500m final after securing top six finishes from the first semi-final.
Muir, the Tokyo 2020 silver medallist, was leading the pack with 300m remaining when Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon made her move, extending her lead as she stormed to the finish in 3:58.64.
British champion Bell overtook her team-mate in the last 100m to cross in 3:59.49 as the second-fastest finisher behind the world record holder.
Muir was also passed by the United States’ Elle St Pierre and finished fourth in 3:59.83.
Revee Walcott-Nolan had fought back to earn a semi-final spot from the repechage round, but a personal best 3:58.08 was not enough after she finished ninth in heat two.
