Katarina Johnson-Thompson has been hailed as the perfect role model by teachers and pupils at her former school.

Johnson-Thompson’s stunning performance to win World Championships gold in the heptathlon in Doha on Wednesday and Thursday were followed with pride by everyone at St Julie’s Catholic High School in Woolton, Liverpool

Johnson-Thompson left McGhee’s club, Liverpool Harriers, two years ago to train in France, but not before giving the youngster some advice.

“I stopped to ask her a few questions about her training and how she was finding running and all her talents,” said McGhee.

“She told me she’d had a few setbacks and how they didn’t change her and how they made her strive to be better and improved her even more. When I have my setbacks I refer back to her and compare myself and try to try harder like she did and hopefully it’ll pay off like her time and dedication did.”

McGhee has her sights sets on usurping Johnson-Thompson in one area, with Walls adding: “She’s on that same journey as Kat and, when you speak to Neave, she says that Kat has the best time for the 200 metres and she really wants to beat that time, so that’s what she’s working towards and I think we will know as soon as she does.”