Two-time and reigning world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson of Britain leads the women’s heptathlon after the 100-metres hurdle and the high jump on Thursday.
Johnson-Thompson scored a total of 2197 points after the two events, while top favourite Nafi Thiam trails by 24 points in second.
Johnson-Thompson and Thiam staged an exciting high jump competition as they were the two athletes left to clear 1.95 metres. But they failed to do so in their three attempts and finished with the best mark of 1.92m.
The British athlete only went over the 1.92m in her last attempt and after an intense dispute with third-placed Anna Hall of the United States.
Thiam, who won the Olympic titles in 2016 and 2021, is the favourite to take the heptathlon crown in Paris. If she succeeds, she’ll make history by becoming the first woman to win three heptathlon golds.
Germany’s Sophie Weissenberg and American Chari Hawkins were the two athletes eliminated after the first two rounds.
Weissenberg clipped a hurdle in her warm-up,
went down and didn’t start the race. Medical staff rushed to the track and she was taken off in a wheelchair in tears. The German federation said that she suffered a torn Achilles tendon.
Hawkins, meanwhile, was fifth following the 100m hurdles, but was heartbroken after she didn’t clear a height in the high jump after failing her three attempts at 1.71m.
Hawkins finished eighth in the event at the 2023 world championships, while Weissenberg was seventh.
The shot put and the 200m race are the two other events taking place later.
Big shock as Jamaica fail to reach men’s 4x100m finals
World and Olympic record holders Jamaica suffered a big shock as they failed to advance to the men’s 4×100-metre relay final at the Paris Games.
The London 2012 and Rio 2016 gold winners were fourth in their second heat, which was much slower than the first, and the result was not enough to even snatch one of the fastest loser spots.
The Jamaican squad, featuring Paris 100m silver medallist Kishane Thompson, bungled both th
e second and third baton handover to lose their momentum.
The United States comfortably advanced with the fastest time of 37.47 seconds.
Noah Lyles, the 100m gold winner was rested for the heats ahead of his 200m final in the evening, but will almost certainly come into the squad for the final.
The US also had the fastest time of 41.49s in the women’s heats led by top star and 100m world champion Sha’carri Richardson.
In their heat one, Germany were leading at the final exchange, but Richardson powered through to give the US the win. Germany and Switzerland qualified in second and third respectively.
Without Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita, Britain were fastest in the second heat to advance ahead of hosts France and Tokyo 2020 winners Jamaica. Canada and the Netherlands also advanced to Friday’s final.
Source : Ghana News Agency