I have thrown away a medal, admits Johnson-Thompson
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Katarina Johnson-Thompson was disappointed with fifth place in the heptathlon on Tuesday night and that says everything about this 20-year-old’s potential to emulate, or even surpass, the achievements of Jessica Ennis-Hill.
Four personal bests — in the 200 metres, long jump, javelin and 800m — produced a record points haul for Johnson-Thompson of 6,449, just 20 points short of Ennis-Hill’s British Under 23 mark. The Liverpool Harrier, however, still has two years to break Ennis-Hill’s records.
‘The medals will come,’ tweeted Ennis-Hill, the Olympic champion who has missed these World Championships with a left achilles injury, after Johnson-Thompson recovered from a poor performance in the shot put to challenge for bronze going into the ‘rat race’, the final 800m slog.
Impressive: Katarina Johnson-Thompson recorded a personal best in the javelin
Strong: Johnson-Thompson finished second in 800m heat
Johnson-Thompson said: ‘I’m a bit regretful I didn’t say I could get a medal because if I had a bit of belief in myself from the start, I could have actually had one.
‘It’s weird to think I can target medals if I just sort out my throws. They’re a bit embarrassing for me.
‘But all I really wanted was top eight, progression and a personal best and that’s what I’ve done, so I can’t complain with that.’
Determined: Johnson-Thompson chases rival Claudia Rath
So close: Johnson-Thompson had to settle for fifth
Olympic finalist Andrew Osagie ran another season’s best — 1min 44.36sec — to claim fifth place in the 800m after his build-up was hampered by a hamstring injury, while Eilish McColgan — daughter of former world 10,000m champion Liz — finished 10th in the final of the 3,000m steeplechase.
Perri Shakes-Drayton, however, won her 400m hurdles semi-final in style to set up a show-down with Zuzana Hejnova, undefeated in the event all season, on Thursday. Fellow Briton Eilidh Child also made the final, but Meghan Beesley missed out, despite her personal best of 54.97sec.
There was disappointment too for Dai Greene, the defending champion in the men’s 400m hurdles, whose recent injuries saw him finish fifth in his semi-final. Sebastian Rodger and Rhys Williams also failed to qualify. Greene said: ‘It’s really frustrating. But mentally, I suppose I’ve considered losing my world title once or twice; you prepare yourself for that.’
Feeling it: Johnson-Thompson drops to her knees on the finish line
Thirsty work: Johnson-Thompson reaches for water bottle after completing the event
The world long-distance double is still very much on for new 10,000m champion Mo Farah, as he cruised in his 5,000m heat yesterday to an automatic qualification spot for Friday’s final.
Olympic bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz, meanwhile, did not suffer a single failure as he cleared 2.29m in the high jump to book his place in the final.
Elsewhere, pole-vault world record-holder Yelena Isinbayeva succeeded where even Usain Bolt failed by enthusing the fans inside the Luzhniki Stadium.
The Russian, 31, won her first outdoor gold medal since the 2008 Olympics in Beijing as she cleared 4.89m to send the crowd into raptures before failing all three attempts at a new world record of 5.07m.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-2391693/Johnson-Thompson-misses-heptathlon-medal-despite-strong-finish.html#ixzz2btaoav2d
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Impressive: Katarina Johnson-Thompson recorded a personal best in the javelin
Strong: Johnson-Thompson finished second in 800m heat
Determined: Johnson-Thompson chases rival Claudia Rath
So close: Johnson-Thompson had to settle for fifth
Feeling it: Johnson-Thompson drops to her knees on the finish line
Thirsty work: Johnson-Thompson reaches for water bottle after completing the event