By Amy Tennery
TOKYO (Reuters) – Belgium’s Nafi Thiam got her heptathlon title defence off to a strong start at the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday, leading the field by 19 points through the first two disciplines.
The United States’ Erica Bougard was second after the dayside programme ended and 2019 world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson of Britain was third.
Thiam finished third in her 100m hurdles heat but had the best overall finish in the high jump with 1.92m to sit at the top of the standings heading into the evening slate of events.
Johnson-Thompson, who came back from an Achilles tendon injury sustained late last year, won her hurdles heat in 13.27 and had a season’s best 1.86 metres in the high jump.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
