Following her breakthrough Olympic Games in London, Katarina Johnson-Thompson appears to be going from strength-to-strength, following a double indoor title win at the UK Indoor Athletics Championships in Sheffield.
Setting a British record in the high jump on Saturday and a Championship record in the long jump on Sunday, the 21 year-old achieved a double victory not achieved since Olympic long jump champion Mary Rand in 1966.
Having beaten the British junior record while competing in Jessica Ennis’ gold medal-winning Olympic Games, Johnson-Thompson has already expressed her determination to emulate the Sports Personality of the Year nominee.
Indeed, far from being removed from the spotlight following Ennis’ pregnancy, British women’s combined events performances appear to be gaining in her absence. While Johnson-Thompson set records on Sunday, 16 year-old pentathlete Morgan Lake broke Carolina Kluft’s world youth best score in Sweden’s Indoor Youth Championships.
Elsewhere in the British Championships, having taken the 60m title in Sheffield, James Dasaolu claimed that the time of 35-year old runner-up Dwain Chambers has passed in the competition.
Chambers, banned from athletics for two-years following a failed drug test in 2003, currently sits in 4th in the British standings, alongside far younger talent coming through in British sprinting.
In a competition which contributes heavily towards qualification for Poland’s World Indoor Championships next month, athletes were extra competitive, perhaps the reason for such strong words about team mates.
World number 1 800m star Laura Muir continued her impressive form by sealing victory at Sheffield, running in with a time of 2 minutes 6 seconds.
Following his record-breaking vault last month, Luke Cutts took victory, while Olympic bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz won in the men’s high jump.
For all the results, visit http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/british-athletics-series/sainsburys-british-athletics-indoor-championships/event-schedule/
Jamie Kirby
Image courtesy of The Telegraph