JOHNSON-THOMPSON Katarina

General
2019 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS REDEMPTION
She said that winning gold in the heptathlon at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, was a relief after failing to make the podium at previous editions of the tournament, as well as at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, due to injuries and underperforming. "I was fed up of not doing a victory lap because I was injured and knowing that my body could not respond, or feeling it couldn't make it through, or that my performances were not up to scratch to compete. I didn't want to give up on something I truly believed. I think it's relief, going into my fourth world championships that something bad hasn't happened again. I knew I was in good shape, but in the past I've been in good shape and it hasn't always come off. It was just about not letting myself get carried away until the last minute. I've cried enough now to last me a career. From now it's just going to be smiles, hopefully. The last two world championships have been heartbreaking for my mum and I. The Rio Olympics as well. I've had a lot of bad years. I'm just so happy that I came out in front for a change." (theguardian.com, 04 Oct 2019; edition.cnn.com, 04 Oct 2019; thetimes.co.uk, 04 Oct 2019)

MOVE TO FRANCE
In 2017 she moved to southern France to train with coach Bertrand Valcin. She says the move was inspired in part by the death of her father that year. He had lived in the Bahamas and she said flying to his funeral "changed everything". Speaking in 2019 she said the move had a strong impact on her career and contributed to her gold medal at the world championships that year. "I hadn't won a medal ever in a major championships and that's when I decided I wanted my mum to see me actually winning. And I should stop messing around. I have changed a lot since I have moved out here [to France]. In 2017 I lived 10 minutes from my [mother's] house. I had my dogs and family, my mum was doing a lot of stuff for me and I had a lot of help. Out here I am doing literally everything myself. I am a proper adult now. [Coach] Bertrand's demeanour in competition is very calming. I feel like our personalities match really quite well. It's just week-in, week-out, doing good things in training, going through all the different events each week. It's just the combination of everything." (bbc.co.uk, 25 Jun 2019; theguardian.com, 04 Oct 2019; ft.com, 04 Dec 2019)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
In July 2020 she joined the board of The Athletics Association, an independent athletes' organisation that aims to secure improved rights and representation for international athletics competitors. In 2020 she also launched the KJT Academy, through which she aims to provide sporting opportunities for young people in Liverpool, England, and offer scholarships to black, Asian and minority ethnic athletes hoping to compete at the Olympic Games. She has also served as an ambassador for Liverpool Football Club's charity LFC Foundation. "The city and the people have given me so much support throughout the years and I'm so proud to be in a position to give back." (bbc.co.uk, 16 Jul 2020; Instagram profile, 06 Aug 2020; liverpoolfc.com, 06 Aug 2020)