Jessica Ennis-Hill has tipped Katarina Johnson-Thompson to turn into a world-beater - starting at London 2017 this summer.
Johnson-Thompson will tackle her first heptathlon of the season at the two-day Hypo-Meeting in Gotzis, Austria, starting on Saturday.
Belgium’s Nafissatou Thiam, who won gold at last summer’s Rio Olympics, will be the favourite for both Austria and the World Championships but 2012 champion Ennis-Hill told Standard Sport: “Kat’s definitely got the make-up and potential to do it.”
Johnson-Thompson had targeted Olympic gold last year but finished a disappointing sixth in Rio, a year on from an underwhelming World Championships in 2015.
Since the Rio blow, the Liverpudlian has turned to throws specialist Jean-Yves Cochand in Montpellier, while Bertrand Valcin acts as her principal coach.
Ennis-Hill added: “She’s made changes and is focusing on different things. She’s certainly a contender and this will be a big year. I think that she could do it in London.”
Ennis-Hill will present VitalityMove with DJ Trevor Nelson, two big days out of running and music at Chatsworth and Windsor Great Park www.vitalitymove.co.uk
