Nafi Thiam seeks to restore her dominance with a third world title
Katarina Johnson-Thompson defends her crown, aiming for back-to-back world titles and a third gold
World leader Anna Hall arrives in Tokyo chasing her first global title
When Nafi Thiam left the 2022 World Championships in Oregon as a double world champion, she seemed untouchable. But in Budapest one year later, it was Katarina Johnson-Thompson who claimed the crown, winning her second global title and reminding the world of her extraordinary resilience.
Their paths have crossed on the biggest stages for years, and in Tokyo they meet again – Thiam aiming to restore her supremacy, Johnson-Thompson determined to hold on to it.
Thiam, the only woman in history to win three Olympic titles in the combined events and the world record-holder for the indoor pentathlon, owns a personal best of 7013, dating back to 2017. Johnson-Thompson, Olympic silver medallist with a best of 6981, has rebuilt her career through injuries and setbacks, triumphing again on the biggest stage in Budapest. Both women have proven they can rise to the occasion, and with both chasing a third world title, their latest duel at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 promises to be one of the highlights.
But it won’t be just the two global champions chasing gold in Tokyo.
USA’s Anna Hall joined the 7000-point club at the Hypo-Meeting in Götzis earlier this year, scoring 7032 to move to equal second on the world all-time list. Her astonishing series included a 1.95m high jump and a world heptathlon best of 2:01.23 in the 800m. After taking world bronze in 2022 and world silver in 2023, just 20 points shy of gold, Hall heads to Tokyo in search of her first senior global title.
Many others in the field will also be eager to step on to the podium. Emma Oosterwegel of the Netherlands, the Olympic bronze medallist in this very stadium in 2021, remains a consistent force. Her compatriot Sofie Dokter, world indoor bronze medallist in 2024, continues to make steady progress with a best of 6576.
Switzerland’s Annik Kälin, fourth in Paris and bronze medallist in the long jump at the World Indoor Championships earlier this year, has raised her level again, setting national records not only in the heptathlon (6639 in 2024), but also in the long jump (6.90m this year).
Colombia’s Martha Araujo has enjoyed a solid 2025 so far. She inished third in Gotzis with a South American record of 6475 and backed it up with a 6451 victory in Talence.
The US team is bolstered by world indoor bronze medallist Taliyah Brooks and 2024 Combined Events Tour winner Michelle Atherley.
Young Finn Saga Vanninen arrives fresh from retaining her European U23 crown, which she did by setting a national record of 6563.
And then there is Adrianna Sułek-Schubert. The Pole made headlines by joining the exclusive 5000-point club in the pentathlon before stepping away from competition to become a mother. After making her comeback at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, she continues her search for top form.
Others to watch include Kate O’Connor, who set an Irish record of 6487 to win the World University Games title, and France’s Auriana Lazraq-Khlass, silver medallist at last year’s European Championships with a breakthrough of 6635.
Ainhoa Serrano for World Athletics
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