Katarina Johnson-Thompson, phoo by www.birmingham2022.com
Katerina Johnson-Thompson is one of the finest athletes in Great Britain. KJT, as she is known in the athletics press, and among her millions of fans.
Her event is multi-events, the heptathlon outdoors and the pentathlon indoors. It is, to paraphrase the former coach of Ashton Eaton and Brianne Theisen Eaton, “seven to ten chances to make mistakes in one event”.
In 2019, Katerina won the gold at the World Outdoor Athletics championships. In 2014 and 2018, KJT took gold in two consecutive World indoor championships. In 2015 and 2019, Ms. Johnson-Thompson took gold in consecutive European Indoor Championships.
In Olympics, KJT was 14th in London 2012, sixth in Rio 2016.
What are her plans for the future? Well, you just have to read the article below:
Katarina Johnson-Thompson: My recovery from injury is going well and I want to go to at least two more Olympic Games
World champion heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson has told the 22 Voices podcast her recovery from an achilles injury is going well and she “definitely” wants to carry on competing until at least the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson, London 2017, photo by Mike Deering / The Shoe Addicts
Johnson-Thompson is the latest guest to appear on 22 Voices, a podcast series from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. In it, she is asked by presenter Samantha Johnson how many more Olympic Games she has in her before retirement:
“Another two at least, counting Tokyo. Definitely, until Paris 2024, that’s for sure, that will be almost like a home Games. It’s super difficult to win an Olympic medal, I think that’s why the weight behind it is always there, and you have to be ready on that day, every four years.”
“It’s important for me because I have achieved a lot of things I want to achieve, and I still don’t feel like I’ve reached my full potential, I still don’t feel like I’ve gotten everything I wanted out of the sport. So, I think that’s a huge driving force and my motivation.”
The 2019 world champion also touches on her recovery from the achilles injury she picked up at the end of last year:
“My recovery is going really well. I’m gutted that it’s not the way I wanted to start a new year, but I’m remaining positive and I’m in a good place right now. I’m progressing really fast and I’m happy that all things are set in place for the outdoor season.”
22 Voices will profile sporting stars and cultural trailblazers as the build-up to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games continues.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson, London 2017, photo by Mike Deering / The Shoe Addicts
The heptathlete is one of the faces of the Games, alongside other elite athletes including swimming champion Adam Peaty, world champion gymnast Joe Fraser and para-swimming legend Ellie Simmonds.
Johnson-Thompson tells the podcast she’s been competing at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium since she was a junior, and she can’t wait to compete in front of a home crowd there in 2022:
“It’s one of those stadiums that has got a lot of history for me and it’s just perfect that the Commonwealth Games will be there next year. I’m super excited to have crowds back in athletics, excited for normality and home games, and to have fans. It’s going to be great, I can’t wait.”
In the podcast, the Liverpool-born star also talks about nearly quitting athletics in 2016 after a disappointing Rio Olympics, why she spoke out about racism and the Black Lives Matter movement last summer, and losing motivation during the first lockdown last year:
“When it got announced that the Olympics were going to be postponed, it was like my whole motivation and energy to get up and do what I normally do each day started to fade away week by week. It hit me the hardest because my dreams of Tokyo 2020 went in the bin.
“The third lockdown I’ve been very positive. Facilities are more open to trying to facilitate elite athletes because Tokyo is happening, so we have to find a way now.”
To listen to the full episode of 22 Voices featuring Katarina Johnson-Thompson, and to subscribe to the podcast, head to www.birmingham2022.com/22voices
About the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, which will be held from 28 July until 8 August 2022, will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put the city, the region, and its people on the global stage.   
The Games is already proving to be a catalyst for transformation across the West Midlands, attracting new investment and funding, creating jobs and apprenticeships for local people and new opportunities for local businesses, as well as accelerating projects that will ensure the region is ready to host fantastic sports and cultural celebration.   
Birmingham 2022 will be the Games for everyone, bringing people together from across Birmingham and the region, to provide a warm welcome to millions of visitors during the summer of 2022.
Find out more at www.birmingham2022.com  
