As Johnson-Thompson crouched on the observe, eyes mounted on the large display screen which appeared to take an age to show the complete outcomes, she wore a glance of acceptance – conscious she had not fairly been in a position to produce the sensational end required for gold.
However when Thiam’s sixth-place end flashed up, confirming the 29-year-old had carried out sufficient, it didn’t take lengthy for Johnson-Thompson’s expression to vary.
A beaming smile unfold as a lifelong dream finally got here true, Johnson-Thompson donning a silver tiara and waving her nation’s flag proudly above her head.
She had gritted her tooth via the ultimate metres of the race, the lactic constructing with each stride, years of harm channelled into each stride.
The hole would develop – simply not sufficient.
Johnson-Thompson was at all times going to complete forward of Thiam, however the margin required for victory appeared unlikely towards a competitor of her opponent’s stature and expertise.
Thiam turned the youngest Olympic heptathlon gold medallist in historical past together with her first triumph aged 21 and has now received 10 of the 11 worldwide titles she has contested since that breakout triumph.
The one exception? Silver as Johnson-Thompson received the 2019 world title.
Johnson-Thompson has needed to overcome a career-threatening Achilles rupture and a devastating mid-competition damage on the Tokyo Olympics, however in Thiam’s absence she returned to the highest of the world final yr to finish a exceptional turnaround in her profession.
Match and firing as soon as once more in Paris, she pushed Thiam all the best way to have an opportunity of gold, and Olympic silver after world gold represents a becoming reward for her perseverance.