Ahead of the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships from 7-12 June, European Athletics caught up with Great Britain's two-time world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson at her training base in Loughborough.
In an exclusive and in-depth interview, Johnson-Thompson reflects on her incredible sporting journey which began when she was in primary school, competing at the London 2012 Olympic Games when she was still a teenager and looks ahead to the upcoming European Athletics Championships in Rome.
On her first memories of athletics…
“At the end of each school year, my school had a competition. I got thrown into the high jump because I was the tallest and it was the most excited I would get each year because I would get to do athletics again. That's where I first fell in love with the sport and first found the sport.”
On being inspired by her mum...
“My mum did everything. We didn’t have a car for her to ferry me around in but we would go a lot of places together on the bus or on the train but we would have an adventure each time. My mum has only missed a handful of competitions to this day. She is such a positive influence in my life. When I realise the amount of time she’s given to me, I definitely admire her.”
On being inspired by former Liverpool footballer Steven Gerrard…
“I’ve met Steven Gerrard a competition of times now. I still find it mad he knows who I am! He was my biggest inspiration growing up.”
On competing alongside Jessica Ennis-Hill in the heptathlon as a teenager in London 2012...
“In 2012, she was somebody I was just watching more than anything else. She allowed me to be part of those two days - that was quite special for everyone. I was behind the scenes watching how she dealt with it, watching what she did between events. It shows me what was possible.
“It was an important phase of my life - I was learning about the sport without the pressures of the sport. She taught me a lot in different phases in her career but at that stage it was about how to conduct yourself.
On looking ahead to the heptathlon in Roma 2024
“It’s a title I haven’t won - it’s a title I would like to have. But as a heptathlete, I know so much can go right, so much can go wrong, so much can happen, so much can happen in the lead-up. I just really want to put out a good performance and I think I can get the best performances when I say that rather than thinking about the outcome.
“I’m feeling really motivated - probably more motivated than ever coming off the back of last year. Now I just want to put out a good performance.”