That, as Ennis-Hill admitted, had taken the competition away as it meant she needed to beat Thiam’s time in the 800m by more than 9.47 seconds.
Advertisement
The Sheffield athlete’s reign as Olympic champion was ended by brilliant young Belgian Nafissatou Thiam in Brazil on Saturday night, but silver two years after the birth of her son Reggie, and with her best score – 6,775 points – since landing gold in such dominant fashion at London 2012 was still a cause for celebration.
The star said her defining decision would be: “Just to go away and have time with my family and make a decision, but it’s just been incredible and I don’t want to cry like this”.
30 year old Ennis-Hill burst off the starting line to take the lead from the outset and gradually began to extend her advantage. “I don’t want to cry on TV but these years have been unbelievable so just really proud”.
Everything from English Schools to the South Yorkshire championships, to gold at London 2012 and finally an Olympic silver medal, hard-fought and brilliantly won two years after having her first child.
Rutherford had to settle for third place in a captivating men’s long jump final which was won by American Jeff Henderson with his final leap. With her Rio Olympics over, it is changing again.
Though the evening belonged to Nafi Thiam who has come from nowhere to cement herself as the best heptathlete in the world.
“I knew she was going to run hard for that gold medal and she wouldn’t let that kind of lead slip”. Life is different. I’ve had some time away from the sport, I’ve had injuries, got married, had my son, so life is very different, but really just a unique and wonderful journey to this Olympics as well. She had to beat Thiam in the 800m by nearly 10 seconds and only just missed out with a season best performance.
Team-mate Katarina Johnson-Thompson also struggled to hold back tears after only managing sixth place on 6,523 points, her medal hopes dashed by poor performances in the shot put and javelin. She was just 2 seconds away from winning Gold, and we were so gutted for her. “I want to go out on a high”.
‘I gave what I had on those two days, ‘ she said.
JESSICA Ennis-Hill broke down in tears during an emotional interview with BBC Sport at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
“I still want to be active and keep fit and be involved in sport in some element and get people active and inspire them but I don’t know what exactly that will involve”.
The 30-year-old Ennis-Hill, now a mother to two-year-old Reggie, missed out on retaining her title by around three seconds in the final event.
“I want to be remembered as one of the great athletes that came into the heptathlon”. “But no definitely not coaching, that takes a “special” person”. That’s what I was capable of in this stage in my career on those two days. “I am really proud”.
Advertisement
“Maybe I know too much about it and am over-thinking it”.
