The ‘Tadpole’ turned into a track giant
JESSICA ENNIS-HILL has had a brilliant career. When you think that Kelly Sotherton, the Olympic heptathlon bronze medallist, used to call her ‘ Tadpole’ it puts into perspective just what Jess — who is only 5ft 4in — has achieved. She’s done well for a little ’un!
Jess would comfortably be among the five greatest British female athletes of all time and, had she not suffered a couple of injuries over the years, she could have been one of our best athletes in history.
The thing that always strikes me about Jess is that she is a brilliant athlete who has remained ordinary. I mean that in a very positive way: she’s still the girl next door, a really down-to-earth woman with no airs or graces.
She isn’t pretentious and tends to keep away from all the film premieres and parties and glitzy events that you get invited to when you’re an Olympic champion. She has stayed in Sheffield and she hasn’t changed as a person over all these years. Jess is still the warm, approachable girl she always was.
Some might argue she never broke the 7,000 points barrier but her British record of 6,955, set in winning gold at London 2012, puts her fifth on the global alltime list. That’s not too is it? I don’t think she will look back on her career and think k about what might have been because she was an athlete who absolutely made the most of her ability.
There’s very little I think she would change.
I was fortunate enough to watch a few of her sessions with her coach, Toni Minichiello, when she was younger and I saw the ferocity with which she trained. I knew she was going to be exceptional if she got a clear run, free of injuries.
I think the way she improved her throws, particularly the javelin, is what really singled her out as a great multieventer. She turned events that were weaknesses into disciplines she could rely on, which is vital in heptathlon. Every event doesn’t have to be great, but you can’t afford to have any weaknesses. You can’t waste that emotional energy worrying that they’re coming around. Jess realised that and managed to master the throws.
I’m not surprised she has decided to retire now. If she had won the Olympic gold in Rio it might have given her a reason to carry on until the World Championships in London next year, but you know when it’s the right time.
She came so close in Rio, too. If it hadn’t been for Nafi Thiam setting five personal bests in seven events over the best two days of her life, Jess would have won a second Olympic title. She has already been a world champion twice before and so what’s the point in going for it again if you’re not sure and there’s a challenger to your crown? In some ways it would feel like a waste of a year.
Jess is more into her family life now and she may now be able to have another child byy next summer, if that’s what she wants to do. Her family is now her priority so it’s absolutely right that she puts them first. She has also been lucky bbecause her agent, Jane, has bbeen with her for a long time and so she has been savvy about what she’s done away ffrom the track.
Jess has earned well from her career and it means she doesn’t have to chase the money now. She can spend more time with her husband Andy, her son Reggie and whoever might come along in future! We will miss her, but I don’t know if athletics is a poorer place now she’s gone.
She will be replaced because that’s the nature of sport. We have had lots of athletes over the last 50 years who have been pretty good and then retired and the sport has survived. We remember them fondly and appreciate what they achieved but we must look to the future.
Whether anyone will be able to win all the things Jess has done in multi-events, though, remains to be seen.
Our golden girl has certainly had an incredible career.