UK's leading sportswomen, Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Ramla Ali, tell us what it takes to lift yourself up after a defeat

"I used to think of winning as being the ultimate result and losing as being the bad result, and then I realised that they intertwine," said the double-world-champion heptathlete, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who was in conversation with the pioneering British-Somali boxer, Ramla Ali, moderated by Harper's Bazaar’s features editor, Charlotte Brook. "When I look at all my medals, what strikes me most is not what colour they are, but the journey that has gone with them." Her most precious accolade, she said, is the world title she received last year, as it followed a series of devastating injuries that had threatened her career.

For Ali, an unwavering conviction in her abilities is essential to her sport, and it’s steering away from doubt that is often her greatest contest.

"This year, I suffered my first professional loss and that was really hard. So, a couple of weeks ago, I asked for a rematch," she said. "I had to fight a lot of demons to get myself into that ring again, but I always say this: if you let doubts in, that’s when you get hurt. Being confident is so important in everything you do. You should never think that you are less than you are."

Feature credits: @ramlaali,@johnsonthompsn/Instagram

This piece was originally featured in Harper's Bazaar UK print edition, January-February 2024.