American Anna Hall leads heptathlon at world championships after Day 1.

By Lori Ewing and Lori Ewing

BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Anna Hall Leads Heptathlon at World Athletics Championships

Anna Hall of the United States

was the leader after Day 1 of the heptathlon at the World​ Athletics Championships on Saturday, while Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson was second in her continued quest to rediscover top form after rupturing her Achilles tendon.

The 22-year-old Hall finished the day with 3,998 points, while Johnson-Thompson, the⁤ 2019 world champion, scored 3,905 and American Chari ‌Hawkins was third ⁢with 3,900.

“I am just​ doing my best and trying ⁢to keep fighting, fighting for every point and for every little bit I ⁣can get,” said Hall. “I am proud of the effort I‍ have put in.

“The championships is all about fighting for positions and that is what‍ I am going to keep⁣ doing (Sunday). I have been dealing with some stuff last two weeks, a little bit of a training accident, but‍ I showed up here ready to go and I am just going to keep fighting.”

Hall, the reigning world bronze medallist, was second in the 100-metre hurdles and the 200 and‍ third in the shot put and high jump.

The heptathlon wraps up⁤ on Sunday ​with the long jump, javelin and the 800 metres.

“I prefer day two anyway because I like the end,”⁤ Hall ⁢said. “I⁣ am looking forward to the 800. It is far from over.”

It has been a tough climb back up the heptathlon rankings for Johnson-Thompson, who ​ruptured her Achilles in 2020 and then tore a calf muscle eight months before the Tokyo Olympics.

Sitting fifth ‍after a shaky shot ⁢put, the 30-year-old ran the fastest 200 of 23.48 ⁣seconds – still well ⁤off her personal best of 22.79 – to​ climb three spots. She had earlier ‌cleared 1.86 metres in the high jump, second-best on the day, to keep her within⁤ striking distance of Hall.

Johnson-Thompson called it a “gruelling day” after a morning⁤ thunderstorm ​delayed ‍the start of competition by an hour.

“All of us have struggled with the delay,” she told the BBC. “We’ve been up​ since half six.”

“I think this is a different heptathlon. I’m proud to keep knocking on⁣ the door, and I’m ‌happy with the finish.”

The ⁣field was missing ⁢reigning world and Olympic champion Nafi Thiam, who withdrew from⁣ the Belgium‌ championships earlier in the month with an Achilles injury.

(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

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