Jessica Ennis

On August 4, 2012, Jessica Ennis kicked off what some described as the greatest night in British sporting history. For her it was the end of a long, winding, and sometimes harrowing road. Nobody was under more pressure at the London Olympics than "the face of the Games." Yet Jessica delivered the heptathlon gold medal, and the huge outpouring of relief she showed afterwards hinted at the roller-coaster journey she had been on. Behind the smiles and politeness, Jessica has endured much. Bullied at school for being small, she proved to critics and rivals alike that size really didn't matter. Hers is an inspiring tale of following your dreams no matter what life throws at you. In 2008 Jessica thought her career might be over when she was injured on the eve of the Olympic Games in Beijing. But she overcame this setback to rebuild her career and technique, becoming the world and European champion in successive years. Her biggest test was yet to come, though, when her rivals overhauled her in the build-up to London. Unbelievable is a refreshingly candid account of her rise to fame in a highly charged world in which body image issues and drug abuses lurk. From the unique pressures facing her, to behind-the-scenes glimpses into the greatest show on earth, and a revealing account of her love-hate relationship with her long-term coach, Jessica reveals the truth behind the smiles for the first time. Unbelievable includes exclusive behind-the-scenes photos. This is the story of how the girl next door became London's poster girl, and how an ordinary woman used an extraordinary talent to claim the title of the world's greatest all-round female sports star.

Unbelievable: from My Childhood Dreams to Winning Olympic Gold

Jessica Ennis started out as an ordinary Sheffield schoolgirl, one that other young people can readily relate to. The daughter of a Jamaican painter-and-decorator from Sheffield and a social care worker from Derbyshire who had shown promise themselves at schools athletics, she took the genes she was given and converted them into gold. Jessica has turned herself, by dint of her multi-disciplined skills, courage and commitment, into one of the greatest British athletes of the modern era, decorated with awards and titles and an MBE at the age of 26. A psychology graduate, her mind is as finely tuned as her body. Medals and personal bests pepper her records to show that during competition she doesn't baulk under pressure but constantly lifts herself out of her comfort zone to be the best in the world.

From My Childhood Dreams to Winning Olympic Gold

Unbelievable

Caitlin Cronenberg

Featuring some of today's most beloved actors, these piercing photographic vignettes capture female characters in the throes of powerful emotional transformations. Photographer Caitlin Cronenberg and art director Jessica Ennis collected stories of heartbreak, relationship endings, and new beginnings—fictional but often inspired by real life—and set out to convey the raw emotions that are exposed in those most vulnerable of states. Collaborating with celebrated talents such as Julianne Moore, Keira Knightley, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Cronenberg and Ennis developed each character, built her world, and then photographed as she lived the role before the camera. The resulting collection is a bold look at the experience of losing or leaving love and will speak to anyone who appreciates art, photography, and the strength of facing emotional depths head-on.

Photographic Stories of Love, Loss, Heartbreak, and Beginning Again

The Endings

On 4 August 2012 Jessica Ennis kicked off what some described as the greatest night in British sporting history. For her it was the end of a long, winding, and sometimes harrowing road. Nobody was under more pressure at the London Olympics than 'the face of the Games'. Yet Jessica delivered the heptathlon gold medal, and the huge outpouring of relief she showed afterwards hinted at the roller-coaster journey she had been on. Behind the smiles and politeness, Jessica has endured much. Bullied at school for being small, she proved to critics and rivals alike that size really didn't matter. Hers is an inspiring tale of following your dreams no matter what life throws at you. In 2008 Jessica thought her career might be over when she was injured on the eve of the Olympic Games in Beijing. But she overcame this setback to rebuild her career and technique, becoming the world and European champion in successive years. Her biggest test was yet to come, though, when her rivals overhauled her in the build-up to London. Unbelievable is a refreshingly candid account of her rise to fame in a highly charged world in which body image issues and drug abuses lurk. From the unique pressures facing her, to behind-the-scenes glimpses into the greatest show on earth, and a revealing account of her love-hate relationship with her long-term coach, Jessica reveals the truth behind the smiles for the first time. Unbelievable includes exclusive behind-the-scenes photos. This is the story of how the girl next door became London's poster girl, and how an ordinary woman used an extraordinary talent to claim the title of the world's greatest all-round female sports star.

Jessica Ennis

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