Abigail Pawlett: Welsh athlete who aims to follow in the footsteps of heptathlon champions

Paulette’s traumatic fall in the opening event thrust her into the spotlight, but it was her reaction that highlighted her potential for the future.

The Welsh athlete says she is happy to have “overcome the psychological hurdle” of setting a new high jump personal best (PB) for the first time in six years.

“It was bittersweet,” Paulette said. “Disbelief was the first kind of emotion I felt after falling over the barriers.

“jade [O’Dowda] And Kat [Johnson-Thompson] He came up to me after the barriers and isolated me from the cameras which I really appreciated.

The Chester-born athlete added: “My first worry was that mum and dad would sit down watching TV and I wouldn’t be able to text them to say I was okay.”

“Hopefully the high jump showed that I was okay, this was the first time since I was 16 that I achieved a personal best in this event.”

Despite her frustration at having to withdraw from the final two events of the competition, Paulette says she was happy to leave Tokyo with the effort shown.

“I had traveled to Tokyo just for this high jump PB.

“If I hadn’t fallen, would I have cleared 1.80 metres? Would I have felt this angry and wanted to get something out of it? I don’t know.”

“At least now I’ve proven to myself that I did it because spending six years in PB takes a psychological toll.

“I’ve proven to myself that I’m physically capable and I can handle it now.”