Jessica Ennis qualifies for Rio 2016

Ennis throws the javelin at the Hypomeeting Gotzis. The Sheffield athlete threw 42.60m

Briton Ennis-Hill was participating in her first heptathlon since the London Olympics in 2012, where she took gold. Prior to participating in the Hypo Meet at Gotzis, Austria, Ennis-Hill was part of the Great Manchester Games earlier this year. She finished the games in third behind compatriots Tiffany Porter and Lucy Hatton.

At the time, Ennis-Hill and her coach and mentor, Toni Minichello, a fitness expert, avered that Gotzis was Ennis' 'stepping stone' to Rio, and that she would not participate in the event unless she was at an optimal level of fitness. Between nursing her troublesome Achilles and the birth of her son, Ennis has worked hard to not only get back to competition but do so extremely convincingly. She was in 3rd spot at the end of Day 1, which tends to be her strongest, with a tally of 3928 points. With 4827 points in hand and two events- the javelin and remaining, Ennis needed a total of 6,200 to qualify for Rio.

She finished her last two events in fourth spot, with a total of 6,520 points, 320 more than she needed for qualification. Her score also means she has automatically qualified for the World Championships to be held in the summer.

Brianne Theisen-Eaton, who was leading yesterday, took the final victory at the Hypo Meet, but was beaten by Ennis in the 800m event. Germany's Carolin Schafer (6,547 points) was second and Nadine Broersen (6,531) of the Netherlands was third, ahead of Ennis-Hill with 6,520.

A self-admittedly 'nervous' Ennis has done well to come back from several major life events to be at the top of her current form. Her team will release the athlete's subsequent plans for the Summer Games shortly.