Despite having to pull out of the heptathlon on Wednesday, Katarina Johnson-Thompson still believes competing in the Olympics was “a miracle” after an injury-filled journey.

Johnson-Thompson left her event with a right calf injury during the 200m sprint leg, where she entered in fifth place. As she pulled up during the 100m, the Brit fell onto the track after the first bend.

The 28-year-old, who was favored to medal, refused treatment after her stumble and finished the race in a slow jog. She was disqualified for leaving her lane.

“I don’t know where to begin in trying to explain how I feel. Only a handful of people understand what I’ve been through. Even a smaller amount understand the mental and physical challenges I’ve faced trying to make it back in time through a pandemic after my Achilles ruptured the back end of December,” Johnson-Thompson wrote in a Twitter statement on Thursday. “I started the year in a wheelchair and I was not willing to end my Olympic campaign the same way.

“To make it to the line was a miracle. To not only do that, but be on my way to putting a decent score together, is heartbreaking. I truly believed I was capable of winning a medal despite having up to half a year of missed training.”

Johnson-Thompson tore her Achilles in December, shortly after uprooting her life and moving to France for her training and getting a new coaching team. This put her dream of competing at a third Summer Games in jeopardy, requiring her to completely throw herself into rehabbing the injury.

“I am proud that I showed up, put myself out there and tried. It would have been very easy to shy away & pull out, to say I wasn’t ready and blame the injury but I’m not that type of athlete or person. I am a fighter, I’m gritty [as f—k] and I find it extremely hard to give up. I can rest easy knowing I applied myself every single day and pushed until I couldn’t push anymore,” she said.

The heptathlon will continue on Thursday with its final three events: long jump, javelin and 800m.