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Katarina Johnson-Thompson wins World Athletics Championships heptathlon gold


KJT throws lifetime best in javelin
2019 World Athletics Championships
Venue: Khalifa International Stadium, Doha Dates: 27 September-6 October
Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website and app; Listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live; Live streams, clips and text commentary online.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson has ended her wait for her first global outdoor title by powering to heptathlon gold at the World Championships.

The 26-year-old, previously without an outdoor medal at this level, won with a British record 6,981 points, beating 2017 champion Nafissatou Thiam by 304 points.

Austria’s Verena Preiner took third.

It is Great Britain’s third medal in Doha following Dina Asher-Smith’s 200m gold and 100m silver.

The omens looked good for Johnson-Thompson when in the first event on day one she took 0.21 seconds off her previous best to win her 100m hurdles in 13.09 seconds.

The Briton’s high jump of 1.95cm was matched by Thiam, before she scored a huge personal best in the shot put – one of her weaker events. The distance of 13.86m was 71cm further than she had ever gone before.

After the 200m, the Briton had a 96-point overnight lead over the Belgian, nine better than her advantage at last year’s European Championships where she eventually finished second.

The pattern continued on Thursday as Johnson-Thompson’s consistency, paired with a below-par Thiam, saw the Liverpool athlete extend her lead.

KJT extends heptathlon lead with impressive long jump

In the long jump, another of her strong events, she leapt to 6.77m. Thiam, who managed 6.86m in Birmingham in August and defeated the Briton, only went out to 6.40m.

Then came the moments that effectively clinched gold for Johnson-Thompson as first she recorded another PB by throwing the javelin to 43.93m before Thiam, who had been struggling with an elbow injury, only managed 48.04m – her best is 59.32m – and skipped her final throw.

That gave her a 137-point lead over the Belgian going into the 800m, having previously trailed her rival at this stage.

Johnson-Thompson kept her cool during the final event which she won before laying down on the track to contemplate what she had achieved.

Her points total surpassed the previous best of 6,955 held by Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill since London 2012.

More to follow.



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