Johnson-Thompson admits heptathlon gold hat-trick in Berlin will be a ‘big ask’

England’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson played down her hopes of a golden treble after winning the Commonwealth Games heptathlon title.

The 25-year-old wrapped up the crown on Friday on the Gold Coast to add to her World Indoor pentathlon gold, despite confirming she was battling a calf problem.

Hampered by injury, favourite Johnson-Thompson was nowhere near her best but still comfortably finished 122 points ahead of Canada’s Nina Schultz with a total of 6255.

England’s Niamh Emerson took bronze after winning the 800 metres, the final event.

Johnson-Thompson is now eyeing August’s European Championships in Berlin.

She said: “I’m two-thirds of the way there. The treble is a big ask. I said that I wanted to win two golds, I’ve done that.

“I want to win three medals. I don’t want to pile loads of pressure on myself. It is really a big ask but I believe in myself.

“My aim this year was to build a winning habit. There are three major championships in 2018 and it’s very risky obviously doing combined events, but that’s my event; I need experience and I need to get through each heptathlon.”

But there will be questions raised about the standard of competition, with Schultz placed 40th in the world.

Johnson-Thompson is yet to face world and Olympic champion Nafi Thiam, Carolin Schafer and Anouk Vetter – who completed the top three at the 2017 World Championships – this year. All are due to be in Berlin.

Johnson-Thompson said: “I haven’t set the world alight with my performances but I’m so proud of myself that I came here and made season’s openers and season’s best off not a lot of training.

England’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson competes in the women’s heptathlon long jump at the Carrara Stadium (Martin Rickett/PA Images)

“I’ve been competitive, got a gold medal – the second of the year – and I have 16 weeks to build on this and get ready for the Euros.”

She added on her injury: “Just after the 200 metres last night I could feel something and it worsened in the long jump. I just managed it and got through it.

“It’s my soleus (a calf muscle) or my calf.  I thought it was under control until 300 into the 800 when I felt it worsen. I thought about stopping but just carried on.”

Later, Caster Semenya collected her second title of the week when she won the 800m in a Games record of one minute 56.68 and is targetting an Olympic double in 2020.