Katarina Johnson-Thompson finishes second on return to heptathlon in Gotzis

Katarina Johnson-Thompson marked her competitive return to heptathlon with a second-place finish at the Hypomeeting in Gotzis, Austria.

Johnson-Thompson, in her first outing since winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in August last year, finished runner-up to American Anna Hall, who topped the podium with a personal-best 6,988 points.

However, the 30-year-old, who has endured an injury-hit past couple of years, recorded a tally of 6,556 points, marking the Liverpudlian’s best haul since winning the world title in 2019.

A throw of 13.92 metres represented a lifetime best in the shot put while her 1.89m high jump was her highest clearance in four years.

“I don’t think the score truly reflects where I am at but everything is going in the right direction and I can see a path back,” Johnson-Thompson said in quotes to the Guardian.

“Last year I was just asleep competitively. But now I feel super-motivated again because I know I can do better. I feel like I have blown the cobwebs off and I can truly attack.”

Fellow Briton Jade O’Dowda finished 10th in the two-day meet.