Jessica Ennis-Hill addresses gender imbalance in sport
Ennis-Hill believes her greatest challenge came off the track
By Conor de Smith
Last Updated: 30/04/19 3:00pm
Jessica Ennis-Hill has addressed the "huge challenges" female athletes face and how gender balance can be achieved in sport.
Speaking on Sportswomen, the gold medal-winning heptathlete explained that giving more time in the spotlight to women's sport and creating new role models can help to reduce inequality across the sporting landscape.
According to Sport England, only 31.9 per cent of women take part in sport at least once a week, compared to 40.5 per cent of men.
"It's just about giving the time and the profile to as many sports as possible," Ennis-Hill told Sky Sports News.
"It's not just one or two here and there - it's covering as many as we can, so we are creating new role models that can continue performing the way they do and inspiring the next generation of athletes in their field."
Ennis-Hill won medals at the 2012 and 2016 editions of the Olympic Games, but believes coming back after having her son, Reggie, in 2014 was the most challenging aspect of her stellar career.
She took time away from training when pregnant with her first born, before returning to competition the following year.
"There are huge challenges and I definitely faced that when I had my son Reggie. I came back into competing and trying to get to the top of my sport again - it was the biggest challenge I have ever faced," she said.
It is a fantastic time to be a female in sport.
Ennis-Hill
"They are great challenges that we have. I see more and more women not doing their career and then retiring when they have a family, but instead, continuing their career, starting a family, and then carrying on with their career, which is fantastic to see."
Ennis-Hill believes "things are changing", though.
"Women facing these enormous challenges in such a positive way is inspiring more women to do the same. It's a fantastic time to be a female in sport," she said.
"There are more opportunities and more avenues to get involved with sport. There are some fantastic role models that have been created from our home Olympics and beyond that, so it is a fantastic time to be a female in sport."
