by Alfonz Juck
Jessica Ennis-Hill, Berlin 2009, photo by PhotoRun.net
JEH ENDS HER CAREER
SHEFFIELD (GBR): Jessica Ennis-Hill announced her retirement from athletics on Instagram this morning. The 30-year-old won the Olympic heptathlon title in 2012, the world title in 2009 and 2015 and the European title in 2010. Ennis-Hill also won the world indoor pentathlon title in 2010, a silver medal at the 2016 Olympic Games and a silver medal at the 2011 World Championships. Her lifetime best of 6955 puts her at fifth on the world all-time rankings behind Jackie Joyner-Kersee (7291), Carolina Kluft (7032), Larisa Turchinskaya (7007) and Sabine Braun (6985). “I’m so fortunate to have had such an amazing career within the sport I love and this has been one of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make. But I know that retiring now is right. I’ve always said I want to leave my sport on a high and have no regrets and I can truly say that,” she said on Instagram.
Jessica Ennis-Hill, London 2012, photo by PhotoRun.net
SHEFFIELD (GBR): Jessica Ennis-Hill has said she wants to help people become more active and find a way into sport, informs BBC News. “I’ve seen the benefits you have from being active and being healthy. So for me it’s about communicating my experiences about keeping fit with the general public – to help people take those first steps to being more active than they already are and finding a way into sport,” she said.
Jessica Ennis-Hill, Rio 2016, photo by PhotoRun.net
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): 2004 Olympic heptathlon bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton believed Jessica Ennis-Hill could have continued until the 2020 Olympics, informs BBC News. “I’m happy for her because it’s always nice to make that decision and not let your body make that decision [on retirement] but I’m a little sad we won’t get to see her at the London World Championships. I’m pretty sure Jess could go probably for another two or three years or even another Olympic cycle,” she said.
RunBlogRun Opines: I have seen all of Jessica Ennis-Hill’s major performances. I have been fortunate to see her win, and also see her take medals of other colors. While I totally appreciate her victories, I think she showed total class in 2011 in Daegu, when she took silver. She was poised, she took our questions easily and she showed the class that she has always had. Her coach, Toni Minichiello is a fantastic coach, capable and understanding of his athlete and her event. Both have been great ambassadors of our sport, British Athletics and yes, their sponsors.
Kelly Sotherton (another wonderful athlete), noted that JEH could have competed until 2020. I concur. But, there is something to be said in going out in such classy form, after a silver in Rio. No medals are guaranteed. We actually compete in a sport, this is not professional wrestling, although the politics can be quite similar sometimes.
Thanks to Jessica Ennis-Hill, for showing us how to compete, win, loose and retire from the sport with style and grace.
