Katarina Johnson-Thompson, at 33, has no immediate plans to retire from athletics, aiming for a potential fifth Olympic Games appearance. Her decision to continue competing is influenced by two key conversations: one with her retired former world champion hurdler boyfriend, Andrew Pozzi, who described the challenges of post-athletic life, and another with her coach, Aston Moore.
Moore, 70, reportedly told Johnson-Thompson that he would be the first to tell her when it is time to retire. She stated that they do not appear to be at that stage yet. This assurance is significant, as heptathletes typically have shorter careers due to the demanding nature of the event. For context, Jessica Ennis-Hill retired at 30 and Denise Lewis at 32. Johnson-Thompson has endured multiple injuries throughout her career, including calf issues that led her to withdraw from the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Despite these challenges, Johnson-Thompson is preparing to compete in the European Championships in Birmingham, where she aims to secure her 12th major medal. Her ultimate goal includes competing in the 2028 Olympics, an achievement that would likely set a record for heptathletes.
"My mind is on the Europeans — I really think I can make the podium," she said. "But I want to carry on to the Olympics. I looked it up on ChatGPT to see how many heptathletes have done five Olympics but I don’t think AI is much of an athletics fan — it didn’t have the info but I think five would be a record."
Johnson-Thompson views her 2023 World Championship bronze medal as vindication for continuing her career. She acknowledged the common questions about her age and longevity in the sport, noting that many of her peers have already retired. She mentioned that only she, Lawrence Okoye, and Eilish McColgan remain from the London 2012 team.
"People often ask about it and I won’t say I like it but I do understand it," she said. "I noticed how few of the people I came up with are still around each year when they announce the team. My friends are all in jeans now and coaching. When Adam [Gemili] retired this year, I saw a tweet that said it was just me, Lawrence [Okoye, discus thrower] and Eilish McColgan [10,000m] from the London 2012 team and that hit home a bit. That was crazy. But I know I can still compete for medals. I’m also in a really good place mentally, especially compared to some of the conversations we have had!"
Following the disappointment of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where she suffered a calf injury after recovering from an Achilles rupture, Johnson-Thompson has found a greater sense of contentment. She previously worked with a therapist in 2022 after losing some of her passion for the sport due to setbacks.
"The Olympics were meant to be in 2020 when I was coming off a world championship win, at my peak, and then Covid pushed it back a year and I ended up doing my Achilles eight months out from Tokyo. I got to Tokyo and injured my calf. Horrible," she recalled. "The therapist was like, “Things happen and you’ll always see why”, and I was like, “I will never see a good reason for that to happen”. But I feel it’s given me longevity, because I had to find different ways to get to the top."
Johnson-Thompson also spoke about finding a better mental state, contrasting it with past struggles. She mentioned a tattoo on her arm that spells "CTRL," serving as a reminder that not everything can be controlled, and the importance of adapting. While acknowledging strong competitors like Annik Kalin and Kate O’Connor, she remains focused on her own performance and the possibility of reaching the podium at the Europeans, with the Olympics still a distant but achievable goal.
