Johnson-Thompson makes superb start in heptathlon

Great Britain's Katarina Johnson-Thompson leads the heptathlon after making a superb start in her bid to finally land the Olympic medal that has so far eluded her.

World champion Johnson-Thompson, 31, is narrowly ahead after the 100m hurdles and high jump stages of the seven-event discipline.

Johnson-Thompson racked up 2,197 points, with defending Olympic champion Nafissatou Thiam of Belgium second on 2,173.

Briton Jade O'Dowda sits in ninth place on 2,024, while Kate O'Connor - representing Ireland - is 19th on 1,908.

The shot put and 200m take place in the Stade de France later on Thursday, with the medals decided after the long jump, javelin and 800m on Friday.

Meanwhile, Britain's women's 4x100m relay team cruised into Friday's final by impressively winning their heat.

The quartet of Bianca Williams, Imani Lansiquot, Amy Hunt and Desiree Henry clocked 42.03 seconds as they look to earn Team GB's first medal in the event since 1956.

In the men's 4x100m relay, Britain faced an anxious wait until their progress was confirmed.

A photo finish was required before Jeremiah Azu, Louie Hinchliffe, Richard Kilty and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake found out they had finished third in the first heat after a season's-best 38.04.

Jamaica did not make Friday's final as their team - continuing to rebuild following the halcyon days led by Usain Bolt - finished fourth in the second race.

KJT shows she's in good shape

Johnson-Thompson is one of the most talented and recognisable athletes of her generation.

But the prize which matters most continues to evade her.

An Olympic medal has proved to be kryptonite: she finished 14th at London 2012, sixth in Rio 2016 and had her bid at Tokyo 2020 cruelly ended when she tore her calf in the 200m.

Winning a second world title last year boded well going into her fourth shot at standing on the Olympic podium.

However, there have also been fitness doubts coming into Paris.

Johnson-Thompson has needed pain-killing injections to deal with tendinitis in her Achilles but speaking before the heptathlon started on Thursday, said she thought she was "in good shape".

The opening event - the 100m hurdles - is always a good gauge and Johnson-Thompson came out confidently.

Running a season-best 13.40 seconds was enough to finish runner-up in the first heat, earning 1,065 points and putting her tied eighth.

Next was the high jump - one of Johnson-Thompson's strongest events.

Coming in at 1.77m, Johnson-Thompson jumped smoothly on her way to clearing 1.92m - her best mark for five years - but could not go over 1.95m.

It ended a two-way duel with Thiam, who also failed to clear the height, and leaves them as the frontrunners after an engrossing start.