Jessica Ennis-Hill: Her grandad gave her £5 for a PB and £3 per medal – but became skint


Toni Minichiello, Jessica Ennis-Hill’s coach for nearly two decades, explains her early desire to improve and how her grandfather had to renegotiate the deal

People will say I am biased but to my mind Jess is the greatest British athlete of all time. Who else has had the career she has had? Olympic champion at London 2012. Double world champion. Seven global medals – more than any heptathlete in history – plus another couple in the Commonwealth Games and European championships, too. And to return to the top after having her son, Reggie, in 2014, when so many experts believed the stresses of the heptathlon would make it impossible, says a lot about how talented and tenacious she was.

Related: From Reluctant Athlete to Olympic gold – farewell to Jessica Ennis-Hill | Andy Bull

People will say I am biased but to my mind Jess is the greatest British athlete of all time

Related: 'People see a girl from Sheffield can make it big': support as Jessica Ennis-Hill retires

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