Jessica Ennis says she is considering going for a second Olympic medal at London 2012 in the sprint relay.The heptathlon world champion had hoped to double up in the 100m hurdles, but the 2012 timetable has ruled out that possibility with 36 hours between events for her to recuperate. The 24-year-old is contemplating the 4x100m as a “more realistic” alternative.Britain’s head coach, Charles van Commenee, along with his relay coaches, has approached Ennis for an informal discussion, and the Sheffield athlete knows she will need to make a decision early next year. “Yeah definitely,” said Ennis, “I think probably this year [2011] to start practising changes and that kind of thing,” Ennis said. “I wouldn’t want to start a few months before [2012] and then expect to be part of it.”
Ennis said she would not wish the sprint relay, an event in which she does not usually compete, to distract her from her main discipline. “I’m really focused on the heptathlon and obviously it’s a lot of training [for seven events] and I don’t want anything to take away from that – I don’t want to be distracted in anyway. But if there was an opportunity to be part of the relay and it was a little bit more flexible then I might give it a go. But I’m not saying anything yet.”After a disappointing performance from the women’s 4x100m team at the European Championships this year – which van Commenee described as “schoolgirl” in execution – Ennis could be just the tonic needed. Jodie Williams – the 100m junior world champion – is thought to have been asked to join the squad in a discipline that Van Commenee is keen for Britain to medal in come 2012.
“The thing is whether I can commit that time,” said Ennis. “I only want to do it if I do it properly; I don’t want to do it halfheartedly. You’re part of a team, so I don’t want to do it and let the team down. I haven’t made a decision yet so I’m still having a little think about it.”Following her decision not to compete in the Commonwealth Games, Ennis is fully rested and in training for the indoor season that begins in January. The world heptathlon champion hopes to add a European indoor title to her trophy cabinet as well as an indoor world record. Ennis was 54 points off Irina Belova’s 1992 mark when she won the world title in Doha this year and believes she can get closer in 2011: “It was in reach then, so I’d like to think with improvement I could get a bit closer – if not break it.” Ennis begins competing in the six-fixture Aviva Series at the Glasgow grand prix on 29 January – Guardian
