American lands first global heptathlon title, while O'Connor makes history and Johnson-Thompson shares bronze.

Anna Hall put her injury troubles of the past couple of years behind her to win the first global heptathlon title of her career at the World Championships in Tokyo on Saturday (September 20).

The American, who went second on the all-time list earlier this year with a score of 7032 at the Hypomeeting Götzis has had to battle knee problems at the past couple of major championships, finishing second to Katarina Johnson-Thompson in Budapest two years ago and then fifth at the Paris Olympics, but this time everything went to plan as she secured gold with a score of 6888 points.

Kate O’Connor set PBs in five of the seven disciplines as she became Ireland’s first ever outdoor medallist in the event thanks to her tally of 6714, while two-time champion Johnson-Thompson shared third place with American Taliyah Brooks as remarkably both scored the same tally of 6581.

For Hall, who had knee surgery at the beginning of last year, this has been the product of a huge amount of hard work. Aided by her mentor, world record-holder Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the 24-year-old has been able to raise her game and finally stand on the top step of the world championships podium, having also come third in Eugene three years ago.  

"This gold means so much,” she said. “Jackie and I have talked about the worlds and I am so glad to finally get my gold. I struggled with injuries in 2024 and my body did not let me perform to my full potential in Paris [at the Olympics]. Moving forward, I will continue to put my head down and try to improve in every event."

Hall began the second day of competition on 4154 with a 248-point lead over O’Connor, while Johnson-Thompson sat third on 3893. The American’s lead narrowed slightly to 217 as she managed a best of 6.12m in the long jump compared to O’Connor’s 6.22m. Johnson-Thompson closed the gap on second to just 50 points after she leapt 6.42m, but the picture could have been even better had she not produced a foul by the tightest of margins with a final jump. Brooks had jumped into second spot with the furthest leap of 6.79m.

A javelin PB of 48.13m from Hall was fourth-furthest overall to leave her still out in front on 5865 with one event remaining but O’Connor, who had slipped to fourth in the standings – also produced her best ever throw – 53.06m – shot back into second place, 122 points off the lead, and effectively securing the silver. Brooks was third on 5662 and Johnson-Thompson chasing on 5578 after throws of 43.47m and 41.91m respectively. 

Going into the final event, the 800m, the Olympic silver medallist needed to finish around six seconds clear of her American rival.

With Hall completing her mission by winning the race in 2:06.08 and O’Connor making sure of silver (seventh in a PB of 2:09.56), Johnson-Thompson gave it her all in the medal hunt to finish second in 2:07.38, but had she established enough of a gap to take bronze? Brooks hit the line ninth overall in a PB of 2:13.17. It was a time that proved enough to precisely match her opponent’s score. 

"Honestly, I thought it was a joke at first,” said Johnson-Thompson. “I was like: 'Why are we both showing up as bronze on the screen?' I didn't really celebrate until they put the medal around my neck. I've never seen it happen before and I've been around for a long time, but I'm so happy one of us didn't lose by one point because that would have been heartbreaking.”

Johnson-Thompson’s previous experience of the national stadium in Tokyo was a particularly painful one, being forced to withdraw midway through the Olympic competition through injury. 

“My experiences in Tokyo from 2021 and 2025 are like chalk and cheese,” she added. “This stadium holds a lot of sad memories for me from 2021 – of being so far away from home, of walking out of the stadium on crutches and not being able to finish day two. 

“I've kept that experience with me for a long time. To finish the 200m on day one this time and come back and actually walk away with a medal means the absolute world. Now I have better memories of this stadium. It's such a wonderful place, a magical place and I'm so happy that it was a happy ending. 

“I think my love for the heptathlon, my drive to always be the best and keep working on myself is key. Every time I finish a heptathlon I think ‘never again’. But then, I wouldn't have it any other way. I want to stay around as long as I can until I stop being competitive. And I'm still competitive."

It was also a day to remember for O’Connor, who had impressed during the indoor season in winning world indoor pentathlon silver and European indoor bronze.

"I knew that I was always going to be in with a shot of a medal,” she said. “But it's the one thing being in with a shot and another actually going out and doing it. I had a great indoor season and badly wanted to show that I could carry that form outdoors. I need to improve a bit in the shot put and get more consistent. I also hurt my knee during the long jump today, so for the rest of the day I was just kind of trying to get through it."

Great Britain's Jade O'Dowda finished eighth thanks to her PB total of 6391, while her team-mate Abigail Pawlett, who fell heavily during the 100m hurdles the previous day, withdrew after the long jump.

Another athlete missing from the latter stages was Belgium’s three-time Olympic champion, Nafi Thiam, who also withdrew after the long jump. She was at the centre of a public row with Belgian Athletics just days before she was due to compete and accused the federation of barring her from the pre-championships camp because she refused to sign a code of conduct – a claim Belgian Athletics denied.

Meanwhile, Kyle Garland leads at the halfway stage of the men's decathlon, the US champion sitting on a total of 4707 points and a lead of 164 over Norwegian world indoor champion Sander Skotheim. Puerto Rico’s Ayden Owens-Delerme sits third with 4487, while Olympic silver medallist Leo Neugebauer is fourth on 4455.

Damian Warner, Olympic champion in Tokyo four years ago, was a late withdrawal due to an Achilles injury he picked up during the warm-up.