Olympics: Team GB poster girl Jess Ennis-Hill keeping her cards close to her chest ahead of Rio

It is a remarkable achievement to have the bookies’ backing but is testament to her work rate and natural ability

Jessica Ennis-Hill wearing the kit for 2016 ahead of the Rio Games (TWITTER/TEAM GB)

Jess Ennis-Hill, the poster girl of the British Olympic team, is heading to Rio de Janeiro as favourite to retain her heptathlon golden medal that she so memorably won on Super Saturday four years ago in London.

It is a remarkable achievement to have the bookies’ backing but is testament to her work rate and natural ability and her recent performances, not least in winning gold at the World Championships in Beijing last year and a IAAF title in Germany last month.

At last month’s IAAF event in Ratingen, Germany, Ennis-Hill recorded 6,733 points which was higher than her score in Beijing plus she recorded a PB in the long jump of 6.63m.

“I feel good after Ratingen,” she said. “I rested a bit. There was a bit of soreness but I came away well really.”

Before Rio, though, there is still some fine-tuning to be done starting at the Anniversary Games at London starting next Friday where she will complete in the 100m hurdles and the long jump.

“I’m feeling great,” Ennis-Hill, 30, said. “I feel good in training. I’m just trying to gather a bit more speed in the hurdles and the 200m. [In London] it will be a good quality race in the hurdles and it is a good field in the long jump.

“So this is a great opportunity this close to the Olympics: a good, quality race, putting myself in that environment where I can test myself. A good time or a good jump will give me so much confidence and that is always a positive.”

After London, Ennis-Hill will not be joining the Team GB training camp, she is heading to her own secret location to continue her preparation. She knows what’s best for her and has been room to prepare as she sees fit.

“I’m keeping my cards close to my chest,” she said. “I’ll be out in Europe just getting the last bits of preparation done. I’ll have [my son] Reggie there and then we fly to Rio. This is a very different year to every other year. I’m just in a totally different place. The holding camp wouldn’t work. I want to be comfortable and confident. I’ll be happier if I can go out there and put all my energy into Rio.”

Jessica Ennis-Hill was part of 'Super Saturday' at London 2012 (Getty Images)

So when she gets there how will she cope being everyone’s favourite again? “I don’t feel a strong favourite,” she said. “Heptathlon is an event where it’s very hard to say who is the favourite. I’m happy with how [Germany] went, I’m feeling good, positive. But I’m just focussing on me being as ready as I can possibly be on the opening day of the Rio competition.”

“I don’t feel that kind of pressure and stress that I did ahead of London 2012 or even before Beijing last year – when I decided to come back.

“I’ve never known stress like 2012. Last year was a last-minute thing [to compete in Beijing]. I always had in my mind I would come back and get back to my best but I thought that would be this year not last year.”

And after Rio? “Im focusing on the next few weeks. After that I will have a holiday, some family time. And have a think if it’s time to call it a day… Or go on for one more year and see what I can do in London.”

Tickets for the Müller Anniversary Games are available from £20. More finish line tickets have now been released. Visit www.britishathletics.org.uk