KJT says she will not give up heptathlon for jumping events

Katarina Johnson-Thompson insists she has no plans to switch away from heptathlon to jumping events – but has indicated she is open to contesting a decathlon before the close of her career.

Johnson-Thompson, who has won Commonwealth and world indoors gold this year, will compete in the long jump and high jump at the Anniversary Games in London this weekend and her credentials in each are impressive.

She was the 2012 world junior long jump champion and in the 2016 Olympic heptathlon she produced a 1.98m jump that would have won the standalone high jump competition. But the 25-year-old has rejected suggestions of a full-time conversion away from multi-events.

She said: ‘I did the long jump in Beijing in 2015 (at the world championships) and at the worlds in London I did the high jump. But I never want to break free from heptathlon because it’s my one and only love.

‘I’d be bored if I didn’t do it. It’s where my full potential can lie.’ 

There have recently been calls from some quarters for the decathlon to be added to the women’s programme at major championships in the name of equality, as it is currently the only event not open to both sexes. 

The 25-year-old has proved able to win major titles in stand-alone long jump events before

‘KJT’ has ruled out a switch to individual events because heptathlon is her ‘one and only love’

It has widely been rejected privately by coaches and athletes, but Johnson-Thompson said: ‘It’s an interesting one for sure. 

‘A pole vaulter brought up that the heptathlon was too easy – I don’t really like the tone of that but I can see the potential for decathlon. 

‘Not because the heptathlon isn’t too easy but women can do 10 events. It could be a long-term thing.’

**Katarina Johnson-Thompson will compete in the long jump and high jump at this weekend’s Müller Anniversary Games. Tickets are available from just £10 via britishathletics.org.uk.