'One of my dream places' - Katarina Johnson-Thompson savours Monaco return

The heptathlete was crowned world champion in Doha last year and would have been favourite to claim gold in Tokyo had the Olympics not been postponed to 2021.

Johnson-Thompson stepped back onto the Wanda Diamond League circuit on Friday with a low-key high jump performance at the first top-level event possible this year.

Clearing 1.80m at the first attempt, 1.84m at the third and then failing at 1.88m was nothing special by her standards, but competing in the Principality certainly was.

"It was one of my dream places to compete," said the 27-year-old.

"Every year I always watch the meet and I'm always jealous of the athletes that can compete here so it's always been my dream to compete in this stadium. It's a great atmosphere, I loved the lights on the track, the people in the stadium.

"I just want to compete and I'm not in the best shape or in the shape I was last year because I've worked so much and being away from my coach has been damaging a little bit.

"Now I'm back into the swing of things and to me, it's just about competing, so next year is not a complete shock to the system."

Johnson-Thompson's permanent training base is in Montpellier, a few hundred miles along the Cote D'Azur from Monaco.

It was the middle and long distance races that took centre stage with six British athletes setting personal bests on Monaco's newly-installed track.

One of those was Laura Muir, who broke Kelly Holmes' British record with a 2:30.82 personal best over 1000m.

Muir won her mini-battle with training partner Jemma Reekie - who also clocked a new best with 2:31.11 - but couldn't catch Kenya's Faith Kipyegon.

"It was so great to be back," said Muir.

"I've raced once already, but it was a very small meet, so to come here to race in such a great field and the crowd's response has been really, really nice.

"Racing a time like today gives me a lot of confidence going into an Olympic year.

"To do that in my second run, to run a British record I'm really, really pleased with it and it's just great to be back racing and am just excited for next year."