Johnson left jaded after poor showing in Beijing

JADE JOHNSON was left disappointed in Beijing after a below-par showing in the final of the long jump left the British No.1 outside the medals.

The 28-year-old knew a personal best was needed if she was to challenge for a place on the podium but the best Johnson could muster was a second round leap of 6.64m - some 17 centimetres off her personal best.

The Brit finished down in eighth position, with Brazilian Higa Maurren Maggi taking the gold with a giant leap of 7.04m and Russian Tatyana Lebedeva collecting silver and Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare the bronze.  

"I prepared well and tried my best but I'm a little bit disappointed with my performance," said Johnson, who only progressed to the final after a last gasp qualification leap.

"Sixth in the Olympics seemed long ways off just a couple of years ago but I'm not going to tell you that I was satisfied with how I jumped.

"I knew what I needed to do and 6.64m is never going to get you a medal at major Championships."

Johnson admitted its back to the drawing board this winter as she looks to right the wrongs of her Beijing disappointment.

The British No.1 has vowed to find that extra ten per cent that would catapult her from medal wannabe to topping the podium in the next 12 months.

"It was good to be back on this stage and I feel that is where I belong," added Johnson. "I'm going to focus on next year now, it's been eight years since I last went to a world championships and that's my target - I know what I have to do to win a medal and that's raise my performance.

"I felt really good, especially on my run, but at the board I was leaning back too far and it was killing my speed and killing my jumps. My performance is annoying."

DANIEL SCHOFIELD in Beijing