Katarina Johnson-Thompson takes lead in heptathlon after setting new British record in the high jump with defending champion Jessica Ennis-Hill just behind

• Jessica Ennis-Hill began the defence of heptathlon title
• Ennis-Hill is bidding to become the first British woman to retain an Olympic title 
• Katarina Johnson-Thompson is trying to improve on her 2012 showing 

By GUY ASPIN, PRESS ASSOCIATION

PUBLISHED: 14:57, 12 August 2016 | UPDATED: 18:10, 12 August 2016

Katarina Johnson-Thompson leads the heptathlon after two events after setting a new British record in the high jump. 

The 23-year-old is just ahead of fellow Brit and defending champion Jessica Ennis-Hill, who is third overall, after the 100m hurdles and high jump.  

But it was Johnson-Thompson who lead the way after an impressive jump of 1.98m.

Britain's Katarina Johnson-Thompson sets a new British record of 1.98m in the high jump

Johnson-Thompson reacts as she clears 1.96m in the high jump

Jessica Ennis-Hill competes in the 100m hurdles - the first event of the heptathlon in Rio 

Ennis-Hill clears the hurdle as she clocks a time of 12.84 seconds

Kendell Williams of USA, Brianne Theisen-Eaton of Canada and Ennis-Hill cross the line

On the opening day of the track and field in Rio, Ennis-Hill got the defence of her Olympic heptathlon crown up and running in impressive fashion by clocking 12.84 seconds in the 100 metres hurdles in far from ideal conditions on Friday.

The 30-year-old produced her third fastest time since London 2012 - and her fastest in a heptathlon since then - to lead the competition in Rio on 1,149 points.

There was even better news for Ennis-Hill with key rival, Canada's world No 1 Brianne Theisen-Eaton, only managing 13.18secs, well down on her best this year.

Ennis-Hill is out to become the first British woman to retain an Olympic title in athletics, two years after the birth of her son Reggie. 

Fellow Brit Johnson-Thompson was 0.11secs behind Ennis-Hill in the hurdles

Johnson-Thompson dips for the line in her heat of the hurdles 

But team-mate Johnson-Thompson, the heir to her multi-eventing throne, clocked 13.48s, 0.11 down on her best this year, but a solid enough start given the rain and a headwind. 

The Britons were hit by a wall of noise on their first morning of London 2012, a teenage Johnson-Thompson saying 'Wow' at the roar which greeted her introduction.

There was no chance of that at a near empty Olympic Stadium for the start of competition here, even if the British fans were the ones making the most noise. There looked to be barely a couple of thousand spectators in the 60,000 capacity venue when the action got under way.

Ennis-Hill takes part in the high jump - the second event in the heptathlon

Ennis Hill celebrates after she clears 1.86m in the high jump

Johnson-Thompson celebrates as she clears the high jump

At least the duo were made to feel at home by the rain that came down in time for the first event of the heptathlon, leaving puddles on the track by the time Johnson-Thompson and Ennis-Hill took to the blocks.

In the high jump both Brits performed very well but it was Johnson-Thompson who took the overall lead in the heptathlon when she set a new British-record with a clearance of 1.98m.

Ennis-Hill cleared a very credible 1.86m and is third overall after the two events.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-3736183/Jessica-Ennis-Hill-begins-defence-Olympic-heptathlon-title-Katarina-Johnson-Thompson-aims-dethrone-her.html#ixzz4H91JihB8
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Will Katarina Johnson-Thompson or Jessica Ennis-Hill be Queen of Rio?

• Jessica Ennis-Hill tipped Katarina Johnson-Thompson to be better than her 'one day' after watching her race in the Czech Republic in June 2012
• Both women have had their own issues to overcome since London 2012
• Johnson-Thompson has been called a 'beast' due to the weight she can lift
• The two women are part of a field that could have a number of winners 

By MARTHA KELNER FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 22:30, 2 August 2016 | UPDATED: 09:46, 3 August 2016

In June 2012 a 19-year-old Katarina Johnson-Thompson scored a huge lifetime best in the heptathlon at a low-key meeting in Kladno in the Czech Republic to unexpectedly qualify for the London Olympics.

Athletics fans had been chattering about the Liverpudlian, already world youth champion, for some time and Jessica Ennis-Hill was asked for her thoughts on the youngster.

‘I’m sure she’ll be better than me one day,’ she admitted. ‘She beat my junior record. She’s a tall, strong girl and her scores in her individual events are looking really good. In the next couple of years that’s when she’ll start getting closer and closer to me — and then I’ll probably retire.’

Katarina Johnson-Thompson surprisingly qualified for London after a win in June 2012

Jessica Ennis-Hill suggested that Johnson-Thompson would be better than her one day

It was, at least partly, prophetic. Johnson-Thompson finished 15th at London 2012 and, as Ennis-Hill did her victory lap, promised it would be her doing likewise one day. She finished fifth at the World Championships in Moscow in 2013, aged 20 and last year broke Ennis-Hill’s British record in the pentathlon to win European Indoor Championships gold.

But Ennis-Hill did not retire. Instead, she stamped her authority on the event once again by winning World Championships gold in Beijing last year. Despite younger rivals knocking on the door, Ennis-Hill goes into the Rio Olympics as favourite but Johnson-Thompson is poised to push her all the way. ‘I never thought our careers would cross paths at the top,’ says Johnson-Thompson. ‘I thought she’d be retired, but I’ve improved quickly too.’

Both women have had their own obstacles to overcome over the four-year Olympic cycle. Ennis-Hill’s have derived from a happy place, the birth of her first child Reggie in July 2014.

Both women have had obstacles to overcome since the last Olympic Games in London

For Ennis-Hill (right) it was from a happy place, the birth of her son Reggie in July 2014

For months afterwards she was unable to lift objects above her head and her early foray back into sport involved sessions on a watt bike in her garage between nursing sessions. ‘For someone used to elite sport it isn’t the same sort of sweat,’ said her coach Toni Minichiello, ‘so it was frustrating for Jess.

‘When she came back she’d lost a lot of the elasticity in her legs so we had to work around that.’

The training plan put together by Minichiello has been adjusted not only to address her changing physicality as she gets older but to allow her to spend as much time as possible with Reggie.

Elite athlete Ennis-Hill was unable to lift objects over her head after giving birth to Reggie and was only able to exercise between nursing sessions on a watt bike in her garage

‘We went from training for 30 hours pre-pregnancy to 22 afterwards,’ said Minichiello. ‘You can’t keep adding load after load after load to an individual. Once you pass 25 you’re not as resilient so you have to get smarter in your training. I think too many coaches I see in athletics cannot adapt their training when the athlete is tired or injured.’

Johnson-Thompson, 23, knows all too well the toll injury can take on a burgeoning career. A foot injury, knee injury and torn adductor over the past two years have seriously hampered her progress, meaning she is ranked only 17th in the world in the heptathlon this year. But her individual scores combined would put her much higher and two season’s bests in the long jump and high jump at last month’s Anniversary Games suggest she is coming back into form.

Like Ennis-Hill, 30, who has been coached by Minichiello for 17 years, the relationship between Johnson-Thompson and her coach Mike Holmes dates back to childhood. Despite the best attempts of her mum Tracey, a former Moulin Rouge showgirl, to entice her into dance, Johnson-Thompson was a tomboy, most of her friends were boys and the Liverpool FC strip became a uniform of sorts.

Johnson-Thompson was a tomboy growing up and regularly wore a Liverpool strip

She joined the Liverpool Harriers club while at school and works out at a strength and conditioning gym in the city. Holmes, a former national level weightlifter, said you would not believe the size of the weights Johnson-Thompson lifts in the gym. 

‘She’s a beast,’ he said, ‘that’s our secret, all the work she does in the gym. I thought she couldn’t get any stronger but she keeps on surprising me. It’s a proper gym we go to, there’s a few criminals,’ Holmes added. ‘It’s useful because she got her keys locked in her car one time, called one of them out of the gym and within a few seconds he had picked the lock.’

If both Ennis-Hill and Johnson-Thompson achieve their potential we could see a British race for top honours but Minichiello doubts it will be as straightforward as that.

‘Since 2013 it’s been the tightest compression of athletes,’ he said. ‘There aren’t the standout individuals, a person who’s definitely going to smash you. There’s the Canadian Brianne Theisen-Eaton who has the world leading score, the Latvian Laura Ikauniece-Admidina who I think will surprise a few people and the Netherlands’ Anouk Vetter to mention just a few. There are probably about eight in with a shout. It will definitely be exciting.’

Ennis-Hill and Johnson-Thompson are in the mix to win gold with a number of athletes

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-3720563/Will-Katarina-Johnson-Thompson-Jessica-Ennis-Hill-Queen-Rio.html#ixzz4GacDvJrL
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Greg Rutherford defends Katarina Johnson-Thompson following 'out of order' criticism of heptathlete's long jump collapse

• Katarina Johnson-Thompson recorded three fouls in the long jump
• The 22-year-old missed out on a heptathlon medal 
• Greg Rutherford revealed Johnson-Thompson was devastated

By GUY ASPIN, PRESS ASSOCIATION

PUBLISHED: 07:37, 24 August 2015 | UPDATED: 08:27, 24 August 2015

Greg Rutherford demanded critics lay off Katarina Johnson-Thompson after her long jump collapse cost her a heptathlon medal at the World Championships in Beijing.

The 22-year-old produced three no-jumps on Sunday, the final one an ever-so-marginal foul, to see her hopes of challenging team-mate Jessica Ennis-Hill for the title - who went onto win gold - dashed in an instant.

Rutherford, who qualified for the final of his event with a leap of 8.25 metres on Monday morning, said the speed of the runway made controlling and adjusting timing difficult and backed the Liverpool athlete to come back firing for her individual long jump competition.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson gestures as she checks the marks on the board with officials

Johnson-Thompson missed out on a heptathlon medal at the World Championships in Beijing

Greg Rutherford has demanded critics lay off Katarina Johnson-Thompson after her long jump collapse

'I think what people don't understand is this is an incredibly fast runway,' said the Olympic champion, who described the criticism of Johnson-Thompson as 'out of order'.

'Fortunately I've had all these years of experience now to know what to do and make the small adjustments. Kat's incredibly young and I heard a few comments that were a little bit harsh on her yesterday, which I think is incredibly unfair.

'I reckon if you put a speed gun on people, which we do in training quite a lot, you would be 0.1 or 0.2 of a second quicker out here and that's a massive difference over a runway.

'Kat has the chance to come back out in a few days' time and, believe me, I'm one of her biggest fans and I'm hoping she comes away with a medal.'

Johnson-Thompson pictured in mid-flight  during one of her attempts in the heptathlon long jump

Rutherford, whose leap was the second longest of the qualifying competition, behind American favourite Jeff Henderson's 8.36m, is bidding to emulate his fellow London 2012 'Super Saturday' gold medallists by winning in Beijing.

A victory would give him the full set of major titles. He won the European and Commonwealth crowns last year.

In spite of that success, Rutherford has had his fair share of critics in the past, with some branding his Olympic triumph a fluke.

And he said he would talk to Johnson-Thompson.

'I saw her briefly yesterday and the poor girl was absolutely devastated, I'll be honest,' he said.

The Liverpool heptathlete remonstrates with officials following a disputed foul in her final jump in Beijing 

'But she's strong, she's very good, we all know how talented this girl is. I think when she comes out she'll know what to do, get a safe jump in, get to that final and do something special.

'She's come into this with people saying, "You're going to win a medal, you're probably going to win this championships". For a young girl that's a hell of a lot of stress.

'Even at my age in London I didn't 100 per cent deal with that pressure well, I managed to grind out a half decent result, but if I'd have been 21 in the same position I probably would have buckled.

'I think if people have got something to say and they genuinely want to help, wait until after the championships, because it's not right to do that.

'If she had gone out there and jumped six metres and hit the board perfectly every time because she was being too cautious and too scared, she would have got absolutely annihilated for that.

'She wanted to win a gold medal, we should never forget that. She didn't come out here to foul three times, she came out here to try and win a gold medal, it's not easy.'

The Brit launches into the air during the long jump event of the Heptathlon in the Bird's Nest Arena 

Rutherford's team-mate Dan Bramble failed to make the final, recording a best jump of 7.83m.

Defending champion Christine Ohuruogu looked impressive in winning her 400m heat, crossing the line in 51.01 seconds with plenty in reserve. Team-mate Anyika Onuora also went through.

Holly Bradshaw, back after a potentially career-threatening back injury, qualified for the pole vault final with 4.55m. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-3208509/Greg-Rutherford-backs-Katarina-Johnson-Thompson-long-jump-collapse-dashed-hopes-medal-World-Championships.html#ixzz3jiyZJAwa
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Jessica Ennis-Hill crowned world champion as Brit canters to heptathlon gold in 800m 

• Jessica Ennis-Hill led the field by 86 points ahead of the 800m final
• The Brit stormed to win the 800m final to extend her advantage 
• The 2012 Olympic champion last won the World Championship in 2009 

By SIMON PEACH, PRESS ASSOCIATION

PUBLISHED: 13:12, 23 August 2015 | UPDATED: 16:09, 23 August 2015

Jessica Ennis-Hill has completed her golden comeback at the World Championships, winning her first major championship since London 2012 just 13 months after the birth of her son.

It was still unclear just four weeks ago whether the Olympic heptathlon champion would compete in Beijing, having only returned to action in May following the arrival of Reggie last summer.

However, a promising performance at the Anniversary Games saw Ennis-Hill put herself forward for selection - a decision she justified in some style at the Bird's Nest.

Jessica Ennis-Hill is all smiles as she secured gold at the World Championships in Beijing on Sunday

An emotional Jessica Ennis-Hill is reduced to tears having won the 800m to take home heptathlon gold

The 2009 world champion, heading out at the start of the 800m, regained the title in Beijing on Sunday

Ennis-Hill realises the extent of her achievement and collapses to the ground as the emotions take over

The 29-year-old edged a fascinating battle with compatriot Katarina Johnson-Thompson on Saturday to take the overnight lead, which she pushed on from with solid displays in the long jump and javelin.

It put Ennis-Hill on the cusp of gold - an opportunity she did not let slip, winning her 800 metres heat in 2 minutes 10.13 seconds to add another world crown to the one she won in Berlin six years ago.

It saw her end the event on 6,669 points - 115 ahead of Canada's Brianne Theisen-Eaton, with Laura Ikauniece-Admidina of Latvia taking the bronze. 

Fellow heptathlon contestants congratulate Ennis-Hill after the Sheffield star won gold in Beijing

The 29-year-old shares the celebrations with her coach Toni Minichiello following her gold in Beijing

Jessica Ennis-Hill crowned heptathlon world champion in China

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'I can't believe I'm in the Bird's Nest. This time last year I just had my son and now I'm world champion. It feels incredible," said an emotional Ennis-Hill.

'It was a massive surprise to be here, during the Anniversary Games I had to make the decision to come and now to be here and finish on top, I'm lost for words.

'It was close (that she didn't go). Before the Anniversary Games I was not sure if I was going to be ready. But I put some times together and felt I was making progress.

'If I'd have got a bronze I'd have been so happy so to get gold is even better.'

On leaving son Reggie behind, she added: 'This has been the hardest year ever; London (2012) was hard with different pressures and challenged but this year, juggling mummy duties with training, is so hard. But it's been the most amazing with my son and now being back here on a global stage.' 

KATARINA JOHNSON-THOMPSON AMBLES IN 800M TO 'SAVE MY LEGS'

Katarina Johnson-Thompson ended her heptathlon by jogging around the track and finishing last in her 800m race. Johnson-Thompson decided to run around the track at a slow pace to save herself for the long jump heats on Thursday.

The 22-year-old's medal hopes in the heptathlon had earlier ended after she failed to record a distance in the long jump with three foul attempts.

Johnson-Thompson had no choice but to continue in the javelin and 800m as there would have be a medical reason to withdraw and medical confirmation she could compete again in the long jump.

That harsh rule was brought into sharp focus at the end of a galling day as the Liverpool athlete ambled home last in her 800m heat, with her time of in 2 mins 50.73 secs - 43.09s outside her personal best.

Johnson-Thompson said: 'This is the last place I wanted to be right now.

'I had to compete the 800m if I wanted to go to the long jump. That's not my fitness (behind that slow time). I want to save my legs.' 

Katarina Johnson-Thompson looks on ahead oh her 800m heat, where she jogged round to save energy

 The dejected 22-year-old had to race in the 800m but jogged to preserve energy for her long jump title pursuit

 The Liverpool heptahlete (centre) was clearly devastated from her earlier performance in the long jump

Ennis-Hill throws the javelin during Sunday's morning session at the Bird's Nest in Beijing

Ennis-Hill, the 2009 Heptathlon World Champion, flies through the air as she takes part in the long jump

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-3207751/Jessica-Ennis-Hill-crowned-world-champion-Brit-canters-heptathlon-gold-800m.html#ixzz3jfUBuFd6
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