Eurosport's Future Stars for 2016: Katarina Johnson-Thompson

Nominated by Eurosport athletics producer Florian Kalouaz, who said: “In 2016, I will definitely be keeping an eye on the rising star of British athletics, Katarina Johnson-Thompson. Despite the field containing the greatest heptathlon specialists in the world, her 2014 victory at the prestigious Götzis meeting proved she was, at the age of 21, the most promising athlete in her discipline.

“Her tally of 6,682 points that day also set a personal best total score and would have won gold at the 2013 World Championships by 96 points. She then went on to confirm her world-class status in March 2015 when she beat Jessica Ennis-Hill’s British record, becoming the European indoor champion in doing so.

“Despite a succession of injuries in 2015, she also beat the British high jump and indoor long jump records and was tipped to become heptathlon World Champion last summer in Beijing. However, after three failed attempts at the long jump her chances of a medal were gone, all due to the risk-taking attitude she brought to the competition that day. She could have settled for silver but, for KJT, only gold matters.

“She is young, exciting to watch and I believe Johnson-Thompson’s motivation after her huge disappointment in Beijing will be at its highest and should lead her to become Olympic champion in Rio.”