Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson is relieved after booking her place at the Rio Games in August and says she is setting her sights on a first Olympic heptathlon gold medal.
The 23-year-old accumulated the 6,200 points needed for Olympic qualification at the Hypo-Meeting in Goetzis on Sunday to join compatriot Jessica Ennis-Hill in the Rio lineup. The Austrian event, won by Canada’s Brianne Theisen-Eaton, was Johnson-Thompson’s first major outing since a knee operation in October.
“The feeling is one of relief more than anything else,” she told British media. “I’ve got a lot to work on between now and then but this is my first time back after surgery and I know exactly what I need to work on. My goal is definitely a gold medal in Rio. I’m always a glass half-full person.”
Johnson-Thompson, who finished sixth at Goetzis with 6,304 points, recorded three personal bests.