Tokyo 2020 - Nafi Thiam comes from behind to become double Olympic heptathlon champion

ByRichard Newman

Updated 05/08/2021 at 13:00 GMT

The Belgian is only the second heptathlete to win two Olympic titles after Jackie Joyner-Kersee, after finishing on 6791 points ahead of Anouk Vetter and Emma Oosterwegel. Thiam had a lead of around four and a half seconds going into the 800m and she comfortably secured victory. You want it? We have it. Stream every Olympic event live on discovery+.

Nafi Thiam is a double Olympic heptathlon champion after the Belgian successfully negotiated the 800m at Tokyo 2020.

The Belgian is only the second woman to become a double Olympic gold medallist in the heptathlon, after American Jackie Joyner-Kersee's back-to-back victories in 1988 and 1992.

Thiam needed to come from behind to retain her title, as Anouk Vetter led after the first day. But the 26-year-old turned things around in the long jump and javelin to take a 64-point lead into the final 800m. That meant she needed to finish around four and a half seconds ahead of the Dutch athlete, which she comfortably achieved to finish on 6791 points.

Tokyo 2020

'My son can't take medal to school now' - Kilty after Team GB 4x100m team stripped of Olympic silver

18/02/2022 at 21:49

Vetter finished with silver, ahead of her Netherlands team-mate Emma Oosterwegel.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson's withdrawal with a calf injury at the end of day one overshadowed the final day of competition, but Thiam took advantage of the world champion's absence.

• ‘I hate that my story has played out in more heartbreak’ - KJT on Olympic injury
• Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: Schedule, key events, every medal and more

'Brave' KJT hobbles to finish line after devastating injury during 200m

The reigning champion had to up her performance on the final day of the competition and she turned it on right from the start. She leapt 6.60m in the long jump, better than the rest of the field, to take a narrow four point lead over Vetter and then finished the penultimate event with a 64 point advantage having thrown 54.68 metres in the javelin, a season best.

Vetter has thrown over 58 metres before and had a chance to retake the lead with another similar effort, but she was on the back foot with a best of 51.20m.

Thiam sealed victory by coming seventh in the 800m, almost three seconds ahead of Vetter.

--

Watch every unmissable moment live from Tokyo 2020 across Eurosport, the Eurosport app and discovery+. Download the Eurosport app for iOS and Android now.

Tokyo 2020

Team GB stripped of Tokyo 2020 4x100m relay silver medal after Ujah loses doping case

18/02/2022 at 15:55

Tokyo 2020

Athletics already has the new Bolt - it’s time to appreciate Thompson-Herah

24/12/2021 at 14:04

Tokyo 2020

Thompson-Herah and Warholm named World Athletes of the Year

02/12/2021 at 09:48