Jess calls it quits ... now she can cash in
JESSICA ENNIS-HILL is set to become one of Britain’s richest Olympians after she announced her retirement yesterday. The heptathlon gold medallist and poster girl for the London 2012 Olympics has already amassed an estimated fortune of £5million. Experts predict she could earn at least double that after she called time on a stellar career that finished with Olympic silver in Rio just two years after having her first child, Reggie. The 30-year-old is thought to be unlikely to take up a flood of reality TV offers or work in athletics punditry but she could take advantage of a number of big-money
endorsement deals, according to Rupert Pratt, director of Mongoose Sports & Entertainment. ‘There will be a whole suite of brands wanting her to endorse them and appeal to mums as much as young women,’ he said. ‘She’s got it all: she’s had the fantastic career, is very media-friendly, is now a mum and can take her off-track career to another level.’ Meanwhile, Ennis-Hill’s retirement could pave the way for her coach Toni Minichiello to work with Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who has been proclaimed as the heir to her throne.
Sportsmail understands Minichiello is on a shortlist of six candidates to replace Johnson-Thompson’s long term coach Mike Holmes, who parted company with the 23-year old after her disappointing sixth place finish in the heptathlon in the Rio Olympics. ‘I’ve not been approached yet but the door is always open to people to talk,’ said Minichiello, who coached Ennis-Hill for 18 years.