Johnson-Thompson withdraws from European Championships

British badge hopeful Katarina Johnson-Thompson has withdrawn from nan remainder of nan heptathlon astatine nan European Athletics Championships successful Rome.

The reigning world champion, 31, had dropped to ninth spot pursuing nan changeable put, nan 3rd arena of nan opening time of nan competition.

Her coach, Aston Moore, said nan determination had been taken owed to a "small niggle successful her correct leg".

Moore added: "We don't want to consequence losing immoderate clip from training which could beryllium nan consequence if she was to transportation competing pinch it for different day."

Twelve months aft winning her 2nd world title, Johnson-Thompson will bid for a first Olympic badge successful Paris this summer, wherever two-time champion Nafissatou Thiam will correspond nan Briton's main obstacle to gold.

It is for that anticipated showdown that some athletes are aiming to beryllium astatine their peak, and yet nan logic why Johnson-Thompson has chosen not to proceed successful Italy.

She ended nan greeting convention 4th overall, moving nan 100m hurdles successful 13.66 seconds earlier clearing 1.83m successful nan precocious jump.

And her shortage to Thiam, who led nan standings aft a champion successful nan precocious jump of 1.95m, accrued to 318 points arsenic a propulsion of 12.44m successful nan changeable put near her ninth connected Friday evening.

More to follow.