Jessica Ennis-Hill fourth in Gotzis on heptathlon return as she qualifies for Rio 2016
Sunday 31 May 2015 17:03, UK
Jessica Ennis-Hill achieved the qualification standard for Rio 2016 as she finished fourth in the Hypo-Meeting Heptathlon in Gotzis, Austria.
Ennis-Hill was competing in the heptathlon for the first time since since winning gold at London 2012 following her return to action after giving birth to her first child, Reggie, some 10 months ago.
Although she only finished fourth overall, after having trouble in Sunday's opening two events, her points tally of 6,520 was more than 300 over the standard needed for qualification for next summer's Olympics and also qualifies her for the World Championships in Beijing later this year.
Ennis-Hill was third after Saturday's opening four events but, by the time she came round to the closing 800 metres, she had dropped to eighth with her best long jump of 6.16 metres and javelin throw of 42.60 metres some way down on previous results.
But she won the closing middle-distance race in two minutes, 09.21 seconds to easily pass the 6,200 points mark she started the competition looking to achieve.
"If someone had said '65' (6,500 points) I would have grabbed that with two hands, I'm really happy to score that, yeah I am made up," Ennis-Hill said. "I am really, really pleased.
"I didn't quite know what would happen in the 800m, but as soon as I heard the gun and ran the first lap. I felt comfortable and tried to maintain the speed.
"I've still got that competitive edge and I have still got drive to compete even when I am not on to win or get a PB.
"If I am a medal contender I will go and if I can get the work done. I don't want to go to the world champs under-prepared.
"Some of my events have been pretty poor and pretty standard, distances and jumps. It will be good to go away and get some proper training done there I feel there will be a lot more to come."
Canada's Brianne Theisen-Eaton won gold with a total of 6,808 points ahead of Germany's Carolin Schaefer (6.547) and Nadine Broersen, who finished just 11 points ahead of Ennis-Hill in third place.
Dutch sprint star Dafne Schippers, who was bang in contention for gold throughout the competition, did not run in the 800m due to a knee problem.
