Katarina Johnson-Thompson suffers injury blow just months before Tokyo Olympics

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EXCLUSIVE: Katarina Johnson-Thompson suffers injury blow just months before Tokyo Olympics as British heptathlon medal hope suffers achilles problem and is forced to wear protective boot

  • Katarina Johnson-Thompson suffered the achilles injury blow late last year
  • British heptathlon medal hope has been wearing a protective boot ever since
  • 28-year-old world champion won’t be able to return to training until March
  • Her recovery has been strong and it’s not believed she will miss Tokyo Games 

By Riath Al-Samarrai for MailOnline

Published: | Updated:

Katarina Johnson-Thompson‘s Olympic preparations have taken a significant blow after the heptathlon world champion suffered an achilles injury.

Sportsmail can reveal one of Britain’s best gold medal shots for Tokyo has been in a protective boot since the training accident at the end of 2020.

While it is unclear whether the injury required surgery, it is understood she will not be able to return to training until March. The boot is expected to come off this week. 

Katarina Johnson-Thompson has been wearing a protective boot after suffering an achilles injury just months before the Tokyo Olympics

The British medal hope for Tokyo suffered the setback late last year and is currently recovering

The British medal hope for Tokyo suffered the setback late last year and is currently recovering

Sources have indicated that her participation at the Games is not in doubt and that she has made excellent progress in her recovery. 

But it is nonetheless a troubling development that the 28-year-old will have to spend up to two months out of training at the start of the Olympic season.

Johnson-Thompson’s rise across the past three years has been among the most heartening in British sport. 

Having won a series of golds at major championships, Johnson-Thompson was tipped for glory

Having won a series of golds at major championships, Johnson-Thompson was tipped for glory

Johnson-Thompson, 28, takes part in the long jump at the Indoor Grand Prix last year

Johnson-Thompson, 28, takes part in the long jump at the Indoor Grand Prix last year

After injuries and poor performance held her back in the early part of her career, she has developed into a major global force with gold medals in the 2019 world championships, the 2019 European Indoors, the 2018 European Championships and the 2018 European Indoors. She also took silver at the 2018 European Championships.

That world title in 2019, when she crushed the Olympic champion Nafi Thiam, has set up one of the most fascinating showdowns in Tokyo. 

It is not currently known if her injured Achilles is on her left foot, from which she jumps.