Olympic shocker: Jessica Ennis-Hill comes last!

The Olympic games haven't even started yet - and there is a shock already.

Sheffield's best-known former athlete Jessica Ennis-Hill has come last in a race to the top!

The Games in Paris are due to start tomorrow (July 26) and Jess has been selected 25th out of 25 in a list of the UK's greatest athletes of the 21st century.

ESPN UK, who made the evaluation, say they based it on the quality and quantity of an individual's success.

The broadcaster's editorial team put "a particular focus on longevity and tangible markers of prowess (medals and silverware). Off-field impact and legacy has been employed as a tiebreaker, though we make no claim that this list marks perfection."

Olympic champion and heptathlon gold medallist Jessica, who grew up in the Highfield area and attended Sharrow Primary and King Ecgbert School in Dore, was serenaded with a tribute from ESPN, despite her lowly positioning.

"Winning gold at an Olympics is no easy feat under any circumstances, let alone when you have the burdensome weight of a success-hungry nation at their home Games leaning on you - and yet Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill made it all look relatively routine in 2012" said ESPN.

"Field events that some considered weaknesses - specifically the javelin and long jump - failed to rear their heads as Ennis-Hill stormed to the top of the podium by a comfortable margin.

Getty images pic of Jessica Ennis-Hillplaceholder image
Getty images pic of Jessica Ennis-Hill

"None of that is to say it was easy. Aware of her fallibility, Ennis-Hill worked relentlessly to improve her throwing power in response to losing her world title in 2011, which was later reinstated following Tatyana Chernova's doping ban. She honed her crafts to the degree that she achieved three personal bests in those heady days in Stratford.

"A silver medal followed in Rio in 2016, but only after she had secured a third world championship title after the birth of her first child. She retired shortly after the Games in Brazil as an icon of British athletics and an example of how to handle pressure."

The top five in the ESPN line up might surprise a few people: 1, Sir Lewis Hamilton, Formula One, 2, James Anderson, cricket, 3, Sir Andy Murray, tennis, 4, Sir Jason Kenny, cycling, 5, Dame Laura Kenny, cycling.

Also ahead of Jess were Sheffield cricket hero Joe Root and Derbyshire's Dame Ellen MacArthur, sailing.

It's a fair bet that the 38-year-old Ennis will not be overly concerned by her ranking.

The track and field queen is busy preparing to be one of the star BBC commentators for the Games.

She will be in the company of presenters Clare Balding, Gabby Logan, Mark Chapman and Isa Guha.

There is no shortage of pundits for Jessica to work with too.

The All Star team includes: Nicola Adams (Boxing) Rebecca Adlington (Swimming) Tonia Couch (Diving) Beth Tweddle (Gymnastics) Chris Hoy (Cycling) Denise Lewis (Track and field) Fred Sirieix (Diving) Kate Richardson-Walsh (Hockey) Katherine Grainger (Rowing) Laura Kenny (Cycling) Mark Foster (Swimming) and Michael Johnson (Track and field.)

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