By Lori Ewing and Lori Ewing
BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Anna Hall of the United States was the leader after Day 1 of the heptathlon at the World Athletics Championships on Saturday, while Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson was second in her continued quest to rediscover top form after rupturing her Achilles tendon.
The 22-year-old Hall finished the day with 3,998 points, while Johnson-Thompson, the 2019 world champion, scored 3,905 and American Chari Hawkins was third with 3,900.
“I am just doing my best and trying to keep fighting, fighting for every point and for every little bit I can get,” said Hall. “I am proud of the effort I have put in.
“The championships is all about fighting for positions and that is what I am going to keep doing (Sunday). I have been dealing with some stuff last two weeks, a little bit of a training accident, but I showed up here ready to go and I am just going to keep fighting.”
Hall, the reigning world bronze medallist, was second in the 100-metre hurdles and the 200 and third in the shot put and high jump.
The heptathlon wraps up on Sunday with the long jump, javelin and the 800 metres.
“I prefer day two anyway because I like the end,” Hall said. “I am looking forward to the 800. It is far from over.”
It has been a tough climb back up the heptathlon rankings for Johnson-Thompson, who ruptured her Achilles in 2020 and then tore a calf muscle eight months before the Tokyo Olympics.
Sitting fifth after a shaky shot put, the 30-year-old ran the fastest 200 of 23.48 seconds – still well off her personal best of 22.79 – to climb three spots. She had earlier cleared 1.86 metres in the high jump, second-best on the day, to keep her within striking distance of Hall.
Johnson-Thompson called it a “gruelling day” after a morning thunderstorm delayed the start of competition by an hour.
“All of us have struggled with the delay,” she told the BBC. “We’ve been up since half six.”
“I think this is a different heptathlon. I’m proud to keep knocking on the door, and I’m happy with the finish.”
The field was missing reigning world and Olympic champion Nafi Thiam, who withdrew from the Belgium championships earlier in the month with an Achilles injury.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
