Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill is a British track and field athlete whose exceptional sporting talents have made her an Olympic Champion and three-time world champion heptathlete. Born in Sheffield, England, Jessica and her younger sister Carmel were introduced to sports early in life. During school holidays, they attended local athletics camps, which started Jessica on her path to becoming a professional athlete.

At a track event during her 1996 summer school holidays, Jessica won her first athletics prize – a pair of sneakers. It was also here that she first met Toni Minichiello, who went on to be her coach for her entire athletic career.

From the high jump and pentathlon to heptathlon events, Jessica’s prowess as an athlete saw her progress through many competitions with amazing success, including the World Youth Games and Junior Championships, as well as Commonwealth and European Athletic youth events. Her determination and positive sporting outlook propelled her into a blossoming athletics career, and before she turned 18, Jessica had won many medals on an international stage.

She worked and trained hard on her athletics career while studying Psychology at the University of Sheffield. In the 2005 Commonwealth Games, Jess won a bronze medal, and after graduating from university, she took up full-time professional athletics.

Having missed out on the Beijing Olympics in 2008 due to foot injuries, she made an incredibly strong comeback, working hard on her recovery and winning a heptathlon gold in the 2009 World Championships – her first of three world titles, as well as the European crown. However, her career crowning glory came at the 2012 London Olympics, where Jessica took heptathlon gold and set a new personal best in front of a British audience.

She took a break from sports while having her first child and then made a golden comeback in 2015, winning another world championship. This was followed by a silver Olympic medal at the 2016 Olympics. That was her last major competition as she announced that she would be retiring from the sport. She was going out on a high!

Following her retirement, she was awarded a damehood for her services to athletics and sports. Her determination and optimism have made her a ‘poster girl’ for sports, and she has been voted ‘Sportswoman of the Year’ by several organisations on several occasions.

Today, Jessica continues to inspire others and is known for her advocacy for women’s health. She co-launched a fitness app named ‘Jennis’, which helps women achieve their own personal best in terms of fitness. Jessica also campaigns for several charities and has co-authored a series of children’s books, Evie’s Magic Bracelet.