19th July 2013 09:08
She appeared to coast to victory and a World Championships qualifying standard of 6215 points somewhat unchallenged.
Few would have expected otherwise, as the 20-year-old was the odds on favourite based on her 6267 personal best set when finishing 15th in the Olympics last year.
However, beneath the surface, the usually cool, calm and collected Liverpool Harrier was unusually nervous and admits she had not been sure whether she would come out on top.
“I didn't really know what to expect from these championships, as I was going into it with possibly the lowest competition practice I've ever had,' revealed Johnson-Thompson.
It was a different type of nerves to what I usually experience and it was really playing on my mind.
“I picked up an ankle injury in May and effectively had five weeks off training and competition prior to Tampere, which wasn't the best of preparation for it.”
If she was nervous, nobody would ever have known.
The pre-event favourite showed her class from the outset, winning the 100H outright and equalling her PB of 13.48 in the process.
Such was her dominance, Johnson-Thompson was also the top heptathlete in high jump (1.84m), 200m (23.45 PB) and long jump (6.39m).
Boosted by her outstanding 200m performance, after six events she was still on track for her highest ever points score.
“I was pleased with my overall score considering the injury.
'I didn't get a huge high jump so I didn't really expect anything special in terms of a score, so it was a shock to see that I was above my personal best score until the 800m,” says last year’s world junior long jump champion.
“The atmosphere at the stadium was really good, with big crowds along the homestraight, which really helped in the 200m and 800m. I was also really pleased with how I handled the high jump and long jump, considering how little practice I had.”
Already an accomplished senior international and having been part of the Olympics last summer, it is pleasing that Johnson-Thompson still places so much emphasis on the European Athletics U23 Championships.
“It's always nice to come away from the season gaining a title.
'I didn’t really perform well in the European Juniors in Serbia in 2009 or Tallinn in 2011, so it was really special for me to come away with the gold medal here.
'Last year was a massive year for me and I really wanted to use the experience to build on it this year.”
Looking forward, Johnson-Thompson hopes that Tampere will prove to be an important stepping stone in her athletics career.
She will now go back to training for the World Championships next month, with the long term aim being to peak for the Olympics in Rio in 2016 and even the Games in 2020.
“It's always been about 2016 for me. 2012 was a just a bonus that we decided to aim for at the end of 2011.
'It is the pinnacle of most athletes’ careers, competing in a home Olympics, but I just hope that one day I can be there with the aim of winning a medal,” she explains.