Nafi Thiam wins the treble by becoming European heptathlon champion

Nafissatou Thiam became European champion in the heptathlon on Friday in Berlin, Germany, thus managing to conquer all the major titles in the outdoor specialty.

In 2016, Thiam skipped the Amsterdam Athletics Euro, which took place barely a month before the Rio Olympics where she won gold. She was also European champion in the indoor pentathlon last year in Belgrade.

>>>Discover Nafi Thiam’s reaction here<<<

Details per event:

> 800m

World champion and Olympic champion, Nafissatou Thiam, 23, had 13 seconds to defend on the Briton Katarin Johnson-Thompson before approaching the 800m, 7th and last event of the heptahlon. If Johnson-Thompson ran in 2:09.84 (SB), Nafi Thiam finished in 2:19.35, just under ten seconds. She thus totals 6816 points, the best world performance of the year, for 6759 for the Briton and 6602 for the German Carolin Schäfer, in bronze.

> Javelin: 57.91m (record: 59.32m)

While Nafi Thiam started timidly (46.36m), Katarina Johnson-Thompson put pressure on him from the first try with a record raised to 42.16m, Carolin Schäfer also setting a new benchmark in 53.73m. On the second try, our compatriot then raised his level: 53.55m! Her British rival, meanwhile, did not improve (41.47m) and the German saw her jump unmeasured. Nafi was again the only one to improve on the third attempt with a huge throw of 57.91m, the second of her career, and a new European championship record. Here she is now on a royal road…

> Length: 6.60m (record: 6.62m)

On the attack of this second day of the heptathlon, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, leader of the general classification with 87 points ahead of Nafi Thiam, falls to 6.44m for her first attempt, to which the Olympic champion responds with a leap at… 6.45m (-1.0). The German Schäfer, she signed a first draw before projecting herself to 6.24m (+0.9). On the second try, a bit of a jump for KJT and for Nafi, the latter having signed a very interesting jump around her record (6.62m). On the third try, the Briton then jumped to 6.68m, putting pressure on Nafi. But this one in turn signs her best jump measured at 6.60m. Excellent ! In any case, the suspense remains intact before the javelin (2:05 p.m.) and the 800m (8:20 p.m.). In the general classification, Johnson-Thompson increases his lead a little over our compatriot: 5,083 pts against 4,970 pts in Thiam. Overtaken by the Austrian Dadic (4,805 pts), Schäfer, she now points to fourth place with 4,772 pts.

> 200m: 24.81 (record: 24.40)

Last event of the first day of the heptathlon, the 200m saw Nafi Thiam rank 5th in his race in 24.81, four tenths of his reference time. In the provisional general classification, she has 3,930 pts (126 units from her record) but now occupies second place. Katarina Johnson-Thompson has, in fact, managed the canon time of 22.88 and is 87 points ahead (total: 4,017 pts) over our compatriot, Carolin Schäfer occupying 3rd place with 3,848 pts. « It will be played this Friday at length and javelin »explains Nafi, confident in her 800m.

> Weight: 15.35m (personal best)

After two good throws but below his level, Nafi gave everything to the third, the sphere going to land at 15.35m! A new outdoor personal best, the old being 15.29m, while our compatriot has already thrown 15.52m indoors. An excellent thing, in any case, since Nafi Thiam now takes the lead in the general classification of the heptathlon with 3,026 points after the third event! Johnson-Thompson follows with 2,926 points and Schäfer with 2,843 points,

> Height: 1.91m (record: 2.01m)

In her strong event, supposed to earn her the highest total of points in one of the seven events, Nafi Thiam entered her competition well thanks to three impeccable jumps at 1.85m (higher than any opponent), 1.88m and 1.91m. Unfortunately, this will also be his final result, far from his record at 2.01m! After two first misses at 1.94m (1,119 pts), the Namuroise also failed on the third try, holding her head in her hands, lying on the receiving mat. Katarina Johnson-Thompson does not benefit, however, since she also signs a jump to 1.91m. The two young women share first place in the competition. In the provisional general classification, KJT is in the lead with 2,193 points, Nafi totals 2,142 points (143 points from her record) and occupies second place. To be continued this Thursday evening: weight (7:15 p.m.) and 200m (8:30 p.m.).

> 100m hurdles: 13.69 (record: 13.34)

With a personal best (established in Götzis in 2017) in 13.34, Nafi Thiam, placed in lane 1 next to that occupied by the Briton Katharina Johnson-Thompson in the fourth series, started her heptathlon with an 8th and last place in her race. but above all with a time of 13.69 (+0.4 m/s). For comparison, she started in Götzis this year with 13.45. But here, the corridor clearly did not allow him to feel « in the fight »… “I had hoped to run a little faster but it was still a decent time”, explained Nafi at the microphone of the stadium announcer. The high jump, his strong event, follows from 10:50 a.m. … Nafi is provisional 14th with 1,023 points, 51 points behind his record. German Carolin Schäfer and Briton Katarina Johnson-Thompson, candidates for the podium, achieved times of 13.33 (3rd) and 13.34 (4th) respectively.