BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Never has finishing second felt so good to Katarina Johnson-Thompson. Or been so exhausting.
Starting the final event of the heptathlon, the 800 meters, with the slimmest of leads, and trying to hold off Anna Hall to complete a comeback from a ruptured Achilles three years ago, Johnson-Thompson never let the American get too far in front of her over the draining two-lap finale.
The British standout ran a personal-best time of 2 minutes, 5.63 seconds. She finished the race second, but because she kept the margin to only 1.54 seconds behind Hall, it was also good for a gold medal in the two-day endurance test.
She beat Hall by 20 points — 6,740-6,720 — the tightest margin in the event at world championships.
“This has been one of the most grueling heptathlons I’ve ever done,” the 30-year-old Johnson-Thompson said. “I’ve won medals before but this means so much.”
That’s why she stayed down on the track a moment longer. Sure, to catch her breath. But to soak in the moment, too.
Because there have been plenty of low points over the last few seasons. Like after she ruptured her Achilles. Or at worlds last season, when “I was trying my best and not getting anywhere,” she explained.
“All I want is to toe the line for the 800 and have a shot,” Johnson-Thompson said. “Just mathematically have a shot. And that’s what I had today.”
Going into the final event, Johnson-Thompson wouldn’t have minded a little bigger cushion. Her lead was just 43 points heading into an event where Hall excels.
“The last person you want to compete against in the 800 is Anna Hall,” Johnson-Thompson said. “She will die trying, and I just had to develop that mentality as well.”
Hall did what she intended to do — powering out to the lead and making her rival — the one she’s always looked up to — chase her. Johnson-Thompson went into what she described as “robot mode” and stared at the back of Hall, who just couldn’t shake her. Hall tumbled to the track after finishing. Soon after, so did Johnson-Thompson.
“I went for it,” said Hall, the Colorado native who won bronze at worlds last summer in Oregon. “Very bittersweet. I really wanted gold and I just fought my heart out and it just wasn’t there this year for me. Kat was just better today and I got beat.”
As the 22-year-old Hall remained down on the track, Johnson-Thompson came over, bent down and whispered in her ear.
“She just told me, ‘You fought like hell these two days,’” Hall recounted. “And that she just respected how I handled the (event), knowing that I was a little bit banged up.”
Earlier this month, Hall slipped on the takeoff board while practicing the long jump. She hyperextended her knee. She wasn’t sure how well she could compete in Budapest.
Then, a vote of confidence just before the championships from world record holder Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
“She has been nothing but encouraging,” Hall said. “I opened up to her a little bit about being banged-up going in. I know she competed and she won Olympic medals (with) injuries. She was like, ‘Just keep fighting and keep swinging and never quit.’ That’s what I tried to do.”
Hall had the lead after four events. But Johnson-Thompson took over after the long jump and gained ground after the javelin.
Going into the 800, Hall had fallen into third place, behind Anouk Vetter of the Netherlands, who finished with bronze.
Hall knew what she had to do — go for it.
Johnson-Thompson knew what she had to do — follow closely behind.
Maybe this was the motivation she was looking for: Just before the start of the race, she walked by flashing images of past heptathlon world champions.
One image in particular caught Johnson-Thompson’s attention — her own. She won in 2019.
“I saw the flicker in my eye,” Johnson-Thompson said. “That just really calmed me. That was the calmest I’ve been the whole weekend.”
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