After the sorrow and the suffering, the glory and the pain. Katarina Johnson-Thompson has been through the wars over the past three injury-ravaged years, and last week she also lost her grandmother Mary. Yet in front of an adoring home crowd she summoned a performance of no little resolve to retain her Commonwealth Games heptathlon title.
The look on Johnson-Thompson’s face after crossing the line in the 800m spoke volumes. Yes, her body hurt after seven punishing events over two days. But she was also happy. Deliriously happy. “This was for her,” Johnson-Thompson said, as the cheers turned to enormous empathy. “She unfortunately passed away a couple of days after I returned from Eugene so it’s been a tough week so I’m just happy to get through it.
