Katarina Johnson-Thompson is starting an innovative, all-female athletics festival at her home track in  in Liverpool in September

World heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson is launching a new athletics festival for females called the ‘Festathlon’ at her home track of Wavertree in Liverpool on September 11.

As well as bringing KJT back to Liverpool to compete for the first time since 2014, the event – which is being organised in partnership with Summus Sports Group and Project 30 – aims to help reignite athletics in the area and inspire the next generation of female athletes.

The festival will be a combination of her favourite things: athletics, music and the city of Liverpool. The sport will be brought to life in a new way through an innovative heptathlon team format that will celebrate the traditions of the sport while offering up something new for lifelong fans and first-time watchers alike.

Spectators will also be entertained by a mixture of DJs and live music acts that are being provided in partnership with the Liverpool International Music Festival (LIMF) Academy.

Johnson-Thompson said: “It’s amazing to be bringing elite athletics back to Liverpool. It has been so long since I competed in Wavertree and it will mean so much to me to compete in front of those fans that have shown me so much support through the years. The people of the North-West really know how to create an atmosphere.” 

On what she is most looking forward to at Festathlon, she added: “I’m looking forward to bringing the heptathlon to life in a fun and exciting way. I love the traditional two-day event, but I’m pleased to be sharing the load with my team-mates this time and I’m so proud that Festathlon will celebrate female talent, both on the track and on the music stage. It’s going to be a great day that I’m sure everyone who comes will love.”

The sporting element of the day will be based on the heptathlon but rather than pitting athletes against each other over a two-day event it will see teams of six go head-to-head across the seven disciplines.

The event will comprise of four elite teams in one competition and four university teams in a separate university competition. The elite teams will be captained by four leading British athletes with the university competition being battled out between the University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University, University of Birmingham and Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Each team will put one athlete forward to compete in the first six events of the heptathlon, with points scored based on position from first to fourth. The 800m will then be run as a 4x200m team relay, with captains selecting four athletes to race for the team.

Teams will also start the relay one metre behind the 800m start line for every point they are behind the leading team – and the first team to cross the line wins.

In addition to the athletics and the music, the festival will offer new experiences for everyone in attendance. With ticketing options including access to the infield hospitality tent, based inside the athletics track next to both the finish line, the high jump area and the music stage.

This first of its kind ticket offers a unique view of the athletics and front row seats to almost all the action. Fans will also be given access to the athletes throughout the day via regular visits to fan areas, activation spaces and a track side athlete signing zone.

Festathlon will take place from 3pm to 10pm on Saturday September 11. To buy tickets and find more about the event, CLICK HERE