Heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson brought home a silver medal for Great Britain at the European Championships as she recorded a personal best event tally.

Johnson-Thompson led the field by 87 points overnight in Berlin and extended it with the long jump, but Belgian superstar Nafi Thiam took back the lead with a monster javelin throw in the sixth event.

The Liverpool Harrier knew she would have to run around 14 seconds quicker than the Olympic and world champion in the final event – the 800m – but could only better Thiam by 10 seconds in a fascinating finale.

Thiam, 23, is widely-acknowledged as one of the greatest athletes of current times and attained 57 more points than Johnson-Thompson’s new PB of 6,759.

“I’m really happy and pleased with the performances,” said Johnson-Thompson. “I’m happy with the whole attitude, the whole heptathlon, my progression and the fact that I feel like I’m on to something – I’m satisfied with the performance but I definitely want more.

“I knew it was 13 seconds (the gap required in the 800m) – I wasn’t aware where she was.

“It’s very hard to front-run and I’ve found that out now so I need to put some work in there, but anything can happen in athletics and in sport.

“I feel like I can do it (beat Thiam) – I believe in myself and this is going to be good for me moving forwards.”

Johnson-Thompson gave a series of gutsy performances in Berlin and recorded season’s best’s in the 100m hurdles and shot put on the first day to create an overnight lead.

The 25-year-old track and field star recorded the best long jump in the competition – 6.68m – to extend her overnight lead and then set a new personal best of 42.16m in the javelin.

Thiam is an expert javelin thrower and her 57.91m launched her into the lead, with the Liverpudlian’s 2:09.84 in the 800m not enough to take it back, but enough for an excellent silver medal.

Friday in Berlin also saw Meghan Beesley sensationally grab a bronze in the women’s 400m hurdles.

Running in lane one and against an extremely competitive field, the Birchfield Harrier ran an excellent race to finish in 55.31 seconds, while Jake Wightman took bronze in the men’s 1,500m.

Triple jumper Nathan Douglas progressed into his final, whilst Great Britain’s 4x400m relay teams came through qualification, as did 1,500m runners Laura Muir and Laura Weightman.

“I just wanted to stay out of trouble and I did that, so yes I am happy,” said Muir. “I had plenty in hand, it was just a case of staying out of trouble and trying to qualifying as comfortably as possible.”

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