Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Katarina Johnson-Thompson suffers calf injury and withdraws from heptathlon
Katarina Johnson-Thompson had also suffered an Achilles problem last year but believed it had healed in time for the start of the Games; British Athletics have confirmed this is a new injury to her calf; the 28-year-old's heptathlon challenge is over after finishing the first three events
By Joe Tanner
Last Updated: 04/08/21 6:52pm
Katarina Johnson-Thompson's bid for a heptathlon medal at the Tokyo Olympics is over after she sustained a calf injury in the 200m event.
Johnson-Thompson pulled up in the 200 metres in worrying scenes but picked herself up to jog across the line.
She went down after completing the bend but refused treatment and completed the race but was disqualified because she left the lane.
A statement from British Athletics read: "Unfortunately Katarina Johnson-Thompson sustained an injury to her right calf during the 200m and has had to withdraw from the heptathlon.
"To confirm, it is not a repeat of her recent Achilles injury which was on her left leg. There will be no further comment this evening."
The 28-year-old suffered a ruptured Achilles towards the end of 2020 that she believed had healed enough for her to compete for a medal in Tokyo.
She entered the 200m in fifth position overall after excelling earlier in the day with a first-place finish in her 100m hurdles heat, recording a time of 13.27 seconds.
The Liverpudlian then managed a third-place finish in her Group B of the high jump event, clearing 1.86m which was well off her 1.98m British record, and then faltered in the shot put.
Johnson-Thomspon will not compete in the javelin, long jump and 800m women's heptathlon events which take place on Thursday.
It is another blow to an already injury-hit Team GB athletics squad.
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 running in his 200m heat and walked the race.
Great Britain have won just one medal at the Olympic Stadium so far, Keely Hodgkinson's impressive silver in the women's 800m.
Laura Muir looked untroubled in the final lap of her 1500m heat and reached Friday's final after clocking four minutes 00.73 behind favourite Sifan Hassan, while GB's Jodie Williams has qualified for the women's 400m final.
