Flipping Hep

Heptathlon medal hope Emerson in race to keep up amazing glory run at Olympics

- Alex Spink

Niamh Emerson’s hopes of extending Britain’s longest Olympic medal streak in a track and field event could be over.

The young heptathlon star was bidding to continue a medal sequence started by Denise Lewis in 1996 and continued unbroken through to Tokyo by Kelly Sotherton and then Jess Ennis-Hill.

But 69 days before the competition starts a major doubt hangs over her participation. Derbyshire’s reigning world junior champion is not on the start list for this weekend’s HypoMeeting in Gotzis – the biggest non-championship event on the calendar.