Olympic and World heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill has an Achilles injury and will miss the winter indoor track season but is hopeful it won’t impact trying to repeat as gold medalist at the Rio Games.
Asked by Sky Sports if the injury could put her Rio participation in question, she reportedly said:
“At this stage I’m hoping that’s not the case. We’re still in February, there’s a lot of time before the Olympics.”
Ennis-Hill, 30, won the World Championship on Aug. 23, capping a comeback after taking all of 2014 off to have a baby.
In Rio, she can become the oldest Olympic heptathlon champion. The event was added to the Olympic program in 1984, and one other woman, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, has won multiple Olympic heptathlons.
Ennis-Hill’s main rivals are younger than her — Worlds silver medalist Brianne Theisen-Eaton of Canada (27), who in May scored higher than Ennis-Hill’s Worlds total, and countrywoman Katarina Johnson-Thompson (23).
“I know the warning signs with the Achilles now, I know when it’s starting to stiffen up, and when it’s becoming sore that there’s potentially a problem there,” Ennis-Hill reportedly told Sky Sports. “Just in training it was stiffening up a little bit and becoming a bit aggravated.”
Ennis-Hill called it “precautionary rest.”
“I’ve had some scans, I’m going to sit down and discuss options with my medical team,” she said, according to Sky Sports. “I just want to get to the cause of the problem. I’ve got a lot of faith in my medical team and I’m hoping taking a step back and resting at this stage will not hinder my performances going into Rio.”