Katarina Johnson-Thompson will have access to a unique dressing room in Paris, which was once used by France's 1998 World Cup winners during their time at Stade de France. This privilege is reserved exclusively for athletes competing in track and field events – decathletes and heptathletes alike – with a total of 50 individuals sharing the space out of over 1,800 participants in the Paris Olympics.
The dressing room at Stade de France is considered a cherished treasure within French sports culture, as it still displays shirts worn by members of the famed team that won World Cup honors back in '98. This includes renowned names like Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry.
The opportunity for Johnson-Thompson to utilize this space comes at a strategic time, with Paris 2024 organizers hoping it will inspire France's world record holder in the decathlon, Kevin Mayer, potentially securing an Olympic gold medal and reigniting interest in athletics within the country.
The concept was born from Alain Blondel, who serves as the track and field sports manager for Paris 2024 and has a history of accomplishment in his own right – having been a European champion decathlete. He envisions bridging France's past football triumphs with their Olympic aspirations over the next few weeks, emphasizing that success across various sports disciplines is possible if only one group can achieve it first.
Blondel explains: "The stadium was designed for ball sports like football and rugby. However, there are two prominent changing rooms in its central area which will be repurposed to accommodate the dressing room exclusively used by combined events athletes."
In a twist of fate, Johnson-Thompson – an avid football fan – gains access to this unique facility alongside her teammate and fellow heptathlete Jade O'Dowda. In preparation for their Olympic bid, she has received pain relief injections for her achilles tendinitis, which have recently improved according to her own words: "It seems to have settled down now."
Blondel is careful not to reveal the specific athlete he shared this information with but emphasizes that it serves as part of their narrative-building efforts. He states: "We've intentionally structured our program in such a way so that Kevin Mayer and Makenson Gletty, who won bronze at the European championship, can perform early on to generate momentum for Team France."
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