Team GB’s Johnson-Thompson pulls out of heptathlon after injury

Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s Olympic dream is over after her injury nightmare surfaced again in Tokyo.

The world champion has pulled out of the heptathlon in Japan after suffering an injury to her right calf in the 200m.

She ruptured her left Achilles in December, but fears she had suffered a reoccurrence have been eased, despite the 28-year-old’s

Olympics being over.

“KatarinaJohnson-Thompson sustained an injury to her right calf during the 200m and has had to withdraw from the heptathlon,”aBritishAthletics statement read.

“It is not a repeat of her recent Achilles injury which was on her left leg.”

Johnson-Thompson refused treatment and a wheelchair on the track to pick herself up and finish the race, limping over the line, but was disqualified for leaving her lane after falling.

The 28-year-old was spottedhavingtreatmentbetween jumps in the high jump and seemed to be limping then.

She fought back from the serious injury and surgery in December and had downplayed her medal chances but was sitting fifth after three events before disaster struck with around 100m to go.

It was due to be her first full heptathlon since winning the world title in Doha in 2019 due to the pandemic and injury.

Her disqualification left her last and 1,082 points behind overnight leader Anouk Vetter. Defending champion Nafi Thiam sits third.

Johnson-Thompson dropped to fifth after the shot put, her first event of the night, and was 139 points adrift of Thiam, although only 45 off Noor Vidts in third.

She had opened the morning with a strong 100 metres hurdles winning her heat in 13.27 seconds – her second fastest time ever.

Inthehighjumpshecleared 1.86m – 12cm off her personal best – and failed at 1.89m to leave her with 2138 points.

It was more injury woe for Team GB on the track as Dina Asher-Smith had already pulled out of the 200m having failed to make the 100m final. She revealed she had been battling a serious hamstring injury suffered in the trials in June.

Adam Gemili also tore his hamstring at the last minute before his 200m heat and walked the race. Great Britain have won just one medal at the Olympic Stadium so far, Keely Hodgkinson’simpressivesilver in the women’s 800m.