Two-time world champion finishes last, hints at retirement

Katarina Johnson-Thompson, the two-time world champion heptathlete, finished last among the scoring competitors at the European Championships in Birmingham. She accumulated 5,790 points, her second-lowest score in a 14-year senior career.

Johnson-Thompson struggled throughout the competition. By Saturday, she was 324 points behind the leader and in 16th place. Her long jump was 5.77 meters, and she failed to record valid jumps on her next two attempts. In the javelin, she threw 36.92 meters, and her 800-meter time was 2:24.92. These results fell far short of her personal bests.

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I am thinking about the future. I have always said that I want to be competitive. If I am not competitive, I will start asking myself difficult questions.

Following the event, Johnson-Thompson hinted at a potential retirement. "I am thinking about the future. I have always said that I want to be competitive. If I am not competitive, I will start asking myself difficult questions," she told the Daily Mail. While the 2028 Olympics remain a goal, she acknowledged that "small injuries can recur more easily with age," suggesting serious discussions with her coach, Aston Moore.

Despite the disappointing performance, Johnson-Thompson stated, "There is definitely still hunger for success, and I love this sport very much." She is a two-time world champion (2019, 2023) and won Olympic silver in Paris in 2024. The European title went to Ireland's Kate O'Connor with 6,751 points, followed by Dutch athletes Emma Oosterwegel and Sofie Dokter.

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There is definitely still hunger for success, and I love this sport very much.