GOLDEN K AT Hot Johnson-Thompson wins first global title
from ALEX SPINK in Doha
KATARINA Johnson-Thompson “slayed the dragon” to become heptathlon world champion here last night.
Years of near misses on the global stage came to an end as the Liverpudlian followed Dina Asher-Smith’s golden example under a clear desert sky.
Johnson-Thompson exorcised the ghosts of past failures in the grandest fashion, trouncing Belgium’s world and Olympic champion Nafi Thiam by 304 points, winning the final 800m in 2mins 07.26secs.
“She has slayed the dragon and banished the demons,” said track legend Michael Johnson as the Scouse star triumphed with a sensational British record score of a huge 6,981 points. Nine months out from the Tokyo
Olympics,
JohnsonThompson delivered lifetime best performances in the 100m hurdles, shot put, javelin and the 800m to secure her gold.
Johnson said: “The difference now is she is focused on execution and technique.”
Asher-Smith, Britain’s first female sprint world champion, was back in the Khalifa Stadium last night to receive her 200m gold medal from IAAF president, Sebastian Coe.
Lord Coe, a two-time
Olympic champion, said:
“Dina is going to be the poster child for our Games next year.
“I can’t really think anybody else who easily fits that bill.
“It’s only a short time in your career where you know you will probably win – and the rest of the field know that.
“She looks like she has entered that period.
“The golden rule now is don’t screw around with too many variables. Just do what you’re doing.
Don’t introduce anything different.” of so (below)