Jessica Ennis-Hill: I'm not favourite for Rio gold, says Olympic champion

Jessica Ennis-Hill was the centre of attention at the Olympic Stadium

Great Britain's world and Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill says she is not favourite for the Rio 2016 heptathlon.

The 30-year-old was an underwhelming seventh in the long jump at London's Anniversary Games on Saturday - her final event before the Olympics.

"I haven't got the world lead and I didn't compete in Gotzis," she said.

"There are quite a few girls who have upped their game this year. I don't feel like the favourite."

It was at May's multi-event meeting in the Austrian Alpine town of Gotzis that Canada's Brianne Theisen-Eaton - who Ennis-Hill beat to win the world title in Beijing last year - recorded the best heptathlon score of 2016, with a total of 6,765 points.

Domestic rival Katarina Johnson-Thompson out-performed Ennis-Hill at the Olympic Stadium this weekend, winning the long jump ahead of world silver medallist Shara Proctor on Saturday after achieving an outdoor personal best of 1.95m in the high jump on Friday.

Ennis-Hill is hopeful of rising to the occasion when the heptathlon gets under way in Brazil on 12 August.

Her own personal best came four years ago with a score of 6,955 en route to Olympic gold. in London.

"I love championships," she added. "That's when I want to be at my best. I love those environments. It brings the best out of me.

"Last year was just up and down with injuries. To have improved on last year and feeling the way I am now, I feel good, I feel healthy. I'd have taken this."

Coach Toni Minichiello said that his charge had been performing much better in training than she showed at the Anniversary Games, adding that he was "happy I'm not travelling back to Sheffield with her today because she'll be frustrated".

Johnson-Thompson, meanwhile, said: "Jess is such a strong competitor I know she'll do better than that at the Olympics.

"Gold will not be an easy job for anyone and I've got to step up to the competition."