UK Athletics head coach Christian Malcolm has backed Katarina Johnson-Thompson to win her Olympics health battle.

The world heptathlon champion has been included in Team GB’s squad for the Tokyo Games, topic to overcoming her damage worries.

Johnson-Thompson suffered a severe Achilles damage on the finish of final yr and, whereas she is again in coaching, is but to compete.

She is because of do two occasions – one in all them being the excessive bounce – at her house observe in Montpellier subsequent month and Malcolm expects her to show her health.

Malcolm stated: “Yeah. She has been again for a number of weeks, months, now coaching so she might be doing a contest throughout the subsequent week or so. That’s when she is going to be capable of show her health.

“She is in a very good area. I did communicate to her this morning and she or he is basically joyful together with her development, coaching and the place she is at. She is basically comfy.

Muller Indoor Grand Prix – Emirates Arena
Katarina Johnson-Thompson is returning to health (Ian Rutherford/PA)

“Mentally she appears in a very good area. The phrases she used have been she was fairly enthusiastic about with the ability to compete and with the ability to see the place she is at. She is in good spirits.

“It’s not as if she is taking another person’s spot so I gained’t be placing any stress on her.”

The 28-year-old gained the world heptathlon title in Doha in 2019 earlier than the coronavirus pandemic pressured the postponement of the Olympics final yr.

Her combat for gold with defending champion Nafi Thiam was anticipated to be one of many battles of the Games and Malcolm insisted Johnson-Thompson can nonetheless problem for medals regardless of health doubts.

He stated: “With the heptathlon something might occur. With somebody like KJT, if she didn’t assume she can be there near her finest then she wouldn’t put herself there.

“We will know extra after her competitions and the place she might be at within the subsequent couple of weeks.”