I will not go to Moscow unless I think I can win gold, says returning Ennis-Hill

Sheffield’s Olympic heptathlon champion competed for the first time this summer in front of an estimated 500 spectators at the Loughborough European Athletics Permit.

There was good news for the 27-year-old at the Paula Radcliffe Athletics Stadium as she set a new personal best in the javelin. She produced a consistent series of throws the longest 48.33m, a considerable improvement on her previous best of 47.49m. She finished in fourth place.

Tellingly, though, the Sheffield athlete said the injury, which is to her left Achilles tendon, was still causing her problems.

“It’s one little bit that’s really painful,” she said.

“When I compress it and when I’m pushing off it it hurts. If I had one event to prepare for then maybe it would have been a bit easier, but having to train for seven events and get all the work done that I needed to get done, it just hasn’t happened unfortunately.”

Ennis-Hill explained the javelin puts relatively little strain on the injury, with the other events set to provide a clearer picture of how it is.

“It felt okay,” she added. “It’s always been quite good with the javelin. It’s some of the other events that are a little bit more troubling with it.”

Ennis-Hill, with her left ankle heavily strapped, later came through the long jump unscathed, winning the competition with a best leap of 6.26m.

She took off on her right leg, though, a change to last year. She had switched to her left leg following the broken foot she suffered in 2008 which ruled her out of the Beijing Olympics.

It is understood the change has nothing to do with her ankle problem. She switched back to her right leg following London 2012 as she and coach Toni Minichiello looked at areas where she could still improve.

How the ankle reacts to competition will be assessed over the coming days, with Ennis-Hill still keen to compete in the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday, where she is due to line up in the 100m hurdles and the long jump.

Her return to action could scarcely be more timely with the World Championships in Moscow less than three weeks away, but she revealed she would only make the trip if she felt in shape to compete for the gold medal.

She said: “I want to be competitive, I don’t want to go to just enjoy it. I want to contend for the gold medal.”

The fans were certainly happy to see her back, though, gathering for autographs and pictures trackside, with their hero obliging.

Before yesterday her only outing since winning gold at London 2012 had been a small event at Leeds Metropolitan University in April, where she won the javelin.