• Athletics

Ennis won't turn her back on heptathlon

ESPN staff
October 17, 2012

Jessica Ennis is not ready to swap the heptathlon in a bid for hurdles glory, according to her coach.

The Olympic heptathlon champion had been entered into the hurdles at London 2012, but despite smashing the British hurdles record during the heptathlon, she opted to swerve the event.

Toni Minichiello says Ennis will not turn her back on the multi-event discipline just yet, and regaining the world crown at next summer's World Championships in Moscow will be her main priority.

"I'm not viewing the hurdles as being one for 2013," Minichiello told Metro. "But I think she's the fastest hurdler in Europe and potentially she will be racing more in the Diamond League.

"We know where Moscow is. When we know the indoor dates we'll backtrack and chat to Jess."

Minichiello admits keeping Ennis motivated will be a challenge, but says the goalposts have moved since she won gold in front of her home crowd in August.

"It's about keeping things interesting for her," he said. "[London] was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster and at the end you kind of fall off a cliff. It's like, 'ah what's next then?.'

"But me and Jess have spoken and reiterated it is a four-year journey. Having climbed Everest, now climb it again slightly differently. The targets change a bit.

"We'll look to work on the high jump and one or two other events. It's always a push towards winning the Olympics but for now the pressure's off a little."

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