Jessica Ennis-Hill insists she is not the favourite to win heptathlon gold in Rio de Janeiro following her disappointing performance in the long jump at the Anniversary Games.
The 30-year-old struggled to seventh on Saturday, while fellow Brit and Olympic rival Katarina Johnson-Thompson won the long jump ahead of world silver medallist Shara Proctor.
It was a tough afternoon for Ennis-Hill at London’s Olympic Stadium, the scene of her greatest triumph where she set a personal best score of 6,955 en route to winning heptathlon gold at the 2012 Games.
Since then she has both got married and had a child but showed she is still among the world’s elite athletes when winning the World Championships 12 months ago.
Another of the Sheffield star’s multi-event rival Brianne Theisen-Eaton of Canada, who came second last summer in Beijing, set the world leading tally of 6,765 earlier this month in Gotzis.
Ennis-Hill missed that event but says she is feeling good about her chances in Rio, having avoided the niggling injuries that plagued her in 2015.
However, the current Olympic champion insists she is not the favourite ahead of the Games due to the increased level of the heptathlon, although the 30-year-old is hopeful she will be able to raise her performance in time for the event, which begins on August 12.
“I haven’t got the world lead and I didn’t compete in Gotzis,” she said.
“There are quite a few girls who have upped their game this year. I don’t feel like the favourite.
“I love championships. That’s when I want to be at my best. I love those environments. It brings the best out of me.”
Leave a comment
Link Dafabet