Johnson-Thompson pulls out of world indoors before final event on return
There was no fairytale return for Katarina Johnson-Thompson at these world indoor championships, for all her efforts to hurl her body back into the white heat of competition after just a few weeks’ training.
The defending pentathlon champion had dreamed of more shiny metal in her first competition since sustaining a horrific calf injury at the Olympics. But five months of rust proved too great an obstacle to overcome as she pulled out before the final event, the 800m.
But while Johnson-Thompson was all smiles afterwards, another British athlete - 21-year-old Holly Mills - was heartbroken after her brave attempt at a bronze medal fell just short.
This was Mills’ first global event and she immediately made her mark by equalling her personal best of 8.15 in the 60m hurdles, which was joint quickest alongside Belgium’s Noor Vidts, who ended up with gold.
After a disappointing high jump and shot, Mills then soared to 6.28m in the long jump to move up to fourth before the 800m. However her chances of a medal were slim given she needed to run the event nearly 10 seconds quicker than the American Kendell Williams.
Mills gave it a damned good go, powering into the lead and finishing with a PB of 2:09:97 to finish on 4673 points. But while Williams was taking on water at the end of the 800m, her time was enough to pip Mills by just seven points.
“It was painful to take,” said Mills. “I ran my absolute heart out of there, I was so close.”
Johnson-Thompson, meanwhile, insisted she was “fit and happy” despite finishing her competition early.
“I came out here and I was super rusty,” she said. “But when you think about my career over the last two years, with Covid and the Achilles rupture, you can count the competitions I’ve done on one hand, so I can take so many positives from that.”
The 29-year-old decided to compete after being offered a wild card by World Athletics as she was showing good form in training. But, in truth, she always looked a little off the pace in Belgrade.
Her time in the 60 hurdles, 8.45 sec, was just eighth out of 12 competitors - while her 1.83m high jump clearance was 15cm below her very best. An impressive shot put of 13.02m, in her weakest event, kept her hopes of a medal alive. But after a 6.08m long jump she decided enough was enough.
“I’m not scared to come out here and get beat,” added Johnson-Thompson. “For me, the most important thing was I wasn’t going to risk injury and get hurt. My body is in great shape.”
Meanwhile there was a shock in the women’s 60m as Mujinga Kambundji took gold in 6:96 sec, a time that ranks as the joint-fourth fastest in history.
No one had given the Swiss athlete, who started the final as a 28-1 underdog, much of a shot. However a stunning start, and powerful final 30m, took her clear of the American Mikiah Brisco, who won silver in 6.99.
Another US athlete Marybeth SantPrice claimed bronze in 7.04, just ahead of the pre-race favourite Eva Swoboda.