Katarina Johnson-Thompson versus Jessica Ennis-Hill showdown in balance

Katarina Johnson-Thompson, left, and Jessica Ennis-Hill competed in Manchester at the weekend – but not against each other. Photograph: Barrington Coombs/PA

The prospect of Jessica Ennis-Hill and Katarina Johnson-Thompson meeting in a highly anticipated heptathlon showdown in Götzis this month appears to be receding after it was revealed that Johnson-Thompson has been suffering from a minor problem in a knee and has only a 70-30 chance of competing. Johnson-Thompson looked impressive in finishing second to Meghan Beesley in the 200m hurdles in Manchester on Saturday but her coach, Mike Holmes, says that with the world championships in Beijing being her main focus this year she may sit out the defence of the Hypo-Meeting title she won in Götzis last year. “Kat’s had a little bit of a knee niggle coming out of Prague and Manchester was a bit of tester, and she’s come through that,” he said. “We’ll have a reflection but Götzis is not vital to us. We’ll see how she reacts, the knee is not a serious issue like she had in 2010 but it’s probably only 70-30 that she will go.” Ennis-Hill will also make a late decision over competing in Götzis. Sean Ingle