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Rio 2016: Ennis-Hill leads the heptathlon at the half-way mark

TEAM GB ace Jessica Ennis-Hill narrowly missed out on defending her Olympic heptathlon title as she finished with silver behind Belgium’s Nafi Thiam at Rio 2016.

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After two days of see-saw competition, Thiam went into the final event with a lead of 142 points, which equated to around nine seconds. She was just 2 seconds away from winning Gold, and we were so gutted for her.

But she may find it hard to walk away from a chance to go for the top spot and retain her crown at the World Championships next year in London – the sight of that famous night four years ago when Ennis-Hill cemented her place in the hearts and minds of the British public.

But with a ruptured tendon and heavily-strapped elbow, Thiam launched a monster effort out to 53.13m (921 points) to leave her with a huge advantage going into the final event.

Ennis-Hill celebrated her medal with a glass of champagne at the Olympic Village after arriving back at around 3am. “I think generally everyone didn’t run great times so yep – a mixed day but obviously glad to be leading after the first day”.

Her performance in the shot put and the javelin cost her dear as she ended up sixth, but Ennis-Hill is confident that in the 23-year-old, the future of British heptathlon is in good hands.

“I was like “oh god that’s so much”, she said.

“It is a mix of everything: thinking back over the last few years and I’m just so emotional”.

Johnson-Thompson finished in sixth, 287 points off the pace of the victor.

Nafissatou Thiam’s javelin throw was the decisive factor in her winning heptathlon gold.

We’re hoping to recreate the success of London 2012 tonight as our top athletes go for gold to make it another Olympic Super Saturday in Rio 2016.

She said: “I’m really pleased with my hurdles, high jump as well, but shot put I’m devastated”.

Trott, and team mates Joanna Rowsell Shand, Katie Archibald and Elinor Barker, won a gold medal in the women’s team pursuit at the Rio Olympics, defeating the USA with a world record time of 4 minutes, 10.26 seconds.

The 30-year-old Briton, who became a mother in 2014, now faces a dilemma over whether to bow out immediately or seek a third world title in London next summer. Her Belgian rival, in one of her weaker events, clocked 25.10 seconds (878 points).

Minichiello told the BBC she should “take two or three months and work out exactly what you do want to do”. The heptathlon is as much mentally draining as it is physically draining, and Ennis-Hill has certainly been through the ringer of the years – she’s had a lot thrown at her.

“I’m going to have a break and go on holiday and spend time with my family”.

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She was a former United Kingdom record holder at the high jump and 100 hurdles, being true global standard at the latter.

Jessica Ennis Hill hints at retirement after missing out on gold by just TWO SECONDS