After consoling a dejected Johnson-Thompson, who finished her heptathlon with a slow trudge around the 800m so that she would not invalidate her entry in the long jump later this week, Ennis-Hill refocused for a javelin competition that she knew could all but secure victory.
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“If I’d come away with a bronze I’d have been so happy, so to win gold is unbelievable”.
Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson, left, disputes the foul jump she was given with officials, as she competes in the women’s long jump heptathlon at the World Athletics Championships at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing, Sund… “But it’s been the most wonderful year as well because I’ve got my son and now I’m here on a global stage with a world title again, which is just unbelievable “.
And the climax that the 800m should have been became for the same reason a jog around two laps of the track to save Johnson-Thompson’s legs for the long jump.
“I had to complete the 800m if I wanted to go to the long jump”.
The success of Ennis-Hill was truly remarkable.
“It’s really hard but they’re definitely like that”, she said, holding her hands together level.
Johnson-Thompson’s 12.47m in the shot was just 2cm down on her PB and 23.08s was the fastest time set in the 200m.
And with the Court of Arbitration for Sport expected to rule that she be awarded the 2011 World title as a result of the Russian victor Tatyana Chernova being a drugs cheat, Ennis-Hill can now justifiably be regarded as a triple world champion.
Ennis-Hill won the last heat of the last event in 2 minutes, 10.13 seconds, withstanding the challenge from Brianne Theisen-Eaton of Canada, who had been the leading competitor all season and went out hard the 800 in a bid to win the gold.
Masrahi ran the one-lap race in 43.93 seconds to improve the continental record he already held since past year by a whopping half a second.
“I’ve always said don’t underestimate Jess and that she will come back and do herself justice”.
Following her celebrated gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, the CBE recipient took a well-earned break form her craft which Thompson explained was “probably the best thing she could have done”. My run-up was faulty and so I was glad to get over 1.89m in the end.
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Jessica and husband Andy Hill’s son was born on July 17 2014 and she said in May: ‘People keep asking me, “Are you still competitive?” I couldn’t compete without knowing. But Ennis-Hill kept her within striking distance and swept past the Canadian in the finishing straight.
