Who is Katarina Johnson-Thompson and when is she competing?

Age: 23

From: Liverpool

When is Katarina Johnson-Thompson competing in Rio 2016?

Johnson-Thompson starts the heptathlon in the 100m hurdles, Friday 12^th August from 1.35pm. After that she’s competing in the high jump (Friday, 2.50pm), the shotput (Saturday 13^th August, 12.35am), the 200m (Saturday, 2.05am), the long jump (Saturday, 3.45pm), the javelin throw (Sunday 14^th August, 12.00am), before finishing off her medal chances in the 800m (Sunday, 02.50am).

Greatest moment

Qualifying for the London 2012 Olympics aged just 19.

Who is Katarina Johnson-Thompson?

While Jessica Ennis-Hill is Team GB’s best known heptathlon hopeful, Katarina Johnson-Thompson gives Britain a second shot at gold. A very good shot, considering she beat Ennis Hill’s long jump score in July’s Anniversary Games.

Johnson-Thompson started competing in every sport she could in primary school and finally picked to compete in the heptathlon as she couldn’t chose between specialising in the long jump or hurdles. After training in her chosen seven sports throughout her teenage years, she beat Ennis-Hill's British junior record by 338 points to qualify for the 2012 Olympics.

Although she didn’t pick up a medal in London, last year Johnson-Thompson set new British records in the high jump (1.97m) and the indoor long jump (6.93m).

However, 2015 also brought the biggest setback in Johnson-Thompson’s career when, after three foul jumps, she failed to score in the long jump in the World Championships. But she still managed to qualify for Rio 2016 and hopes to put the long jump nerves behind her when the competition begins this Friday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM7UUW1l1Mo