Being a heptathlete (we imagine; we’re hardly speaking from experience here at Backstraight HQ…) requires not only explosiveness, endurance, technical finesse, and sublime co ordination, but nerves of absolute steel. The psychological challenges of the event have proven a stumbling block for many physically-gifted athletes, and to be able to reach into your bag of tricks and deliver a third round clearance, lifetime best, or gutsy 800 metres at the end of two gruelling days of competition requires the mentality of a supreme competitor. Niamh Emerson, from what we’ve seen so far, is one of those. Bronze at her first major senior championships, gold in Tampere after the most dramatic of 800 metres, and silver behind KJT with the best pentathlon performance ever executed by a teenager: we have grown accustomed to this athlete bringing her A-game every time. Great Britain’s heptathlon heritage is as rich as they come - Mary Rand, Mary Peters, Judy Simpson, Denise Lewis, Kelly Sotherton, Jess Ennis-Hill, and Katarina Johnson Thompson - and it seems increasingly evident that Emerson’s name is destined to join that illustrious roster. A knee tendon tear in Gotzis might have brought her season to an abrupt halt, but her outlook is remarkably positive, with Tokyo drawing ever-closer, and this pause in her meteoric ascent the perfect opportunity to reflect upon her career so far. Friendships with Jess and Kat, working on her explosive power whilst maintaining that fantastic 800 metres of hers, and how on earth she always manages to find that extra centimetre when the pressure’s on: we hope you enjoy this latest interview special.
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