Heptathlon, Women

Britain’s Jessica Ennis-Hill was the defending gold medallist and had won the 2015 World Championships after coming back from a maternity hiatus. She was expected to be challenged by her countrywoman Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Canadian Brianne Theisen-Eaton, the 2016 World Indoor Champion in the pentathlon, in the battle of hyphenated names. Theisen-Eaton’s story was intriguing as her husband, American Ashton Eaton, was the heavy favorite in the decathlon. A victory for both would make them the first ever husband-wife to win individual gold medals at the same Olympics, but for different nations.

Ennis-Hill took the early lead by winning the 100 hurdles, her best event. Johnson-Thompson then took over the lead by winning the high jump, clearing 1.98, a new heptathlon world best. Belgian Nafissatou Thiam, bronze medallist at the 2014 European Championships, won the shot put to take the lead. In the final event of the first day, Johnson-Thompson led the 200 with 23.26, followed by Ennis-Hill in 23.49. After day one, Ennis-Hill led with Thiam in second, Barbadian Akela Jones third, KJT in fourth, and Theisen-Eaton in sixth.

Opening the second day, Thiam PRed in the long jump with 6.58 to take a 5-point lead over Ennis-Hill. Thiam PRed again in the javelin with 53.13 to extend her lead, while Ennis-Hill stayed in second, but Theisen-Eaton moved into third place. Ennis-Hill was a superior runner and it was thought she might run down Thiam in the 800, but the Belgian PRed again with 2:16.64, and Jessica’s 2:09.07 was not quite good enough, Thiam winning a surprise gold medal by 35 points. Theisen-Eaton held on for bronze, while Johnson-Thompson struggled on the second day and dropped back to sixth. In keeping with the hyphenated motif, Latvian Laura Ikauniece-Admidina finished fourth. Thiam’s gold medal was the result of her recording five PRs in the seven events.