“Those decisions are much easier to make when you get back in to the routine of training. That’s been a bit stilted recently, but we’ll get there. I am convinced Jess has two more Olympic cycles in her: Rio in the heptathlon again, and then she could move to the hurdles.”
Minichiello, who was last week named UK Coach of the Year, was speaking at UK Sport’s annual World Class Performance Conference in Leeds.
In a session titled “Team Jennis to Jenesis”, Minichiello and two members of the team behind the Sheffield-based star – psychologist Pete Lindsay and biomechanics expert Dr Paul Brice – explained not just how Ennis could maintain her current level of performance, but how she should improve.
Ennis set a new British and Commonwealth heptathlon record of 6,955 points on her way to winning gold at London 2012.
This total, the second best in Olympic history, was boosted by three personal bests in the seven events, including a stunning 12.54 seconds in the 100m hurdles, equalling the winning time in the individual race at the Beijing Olympics. It would also have been good enough for fourth in London.
But Minichiello and Brice told a room full of leading British coaches from other sports that it was “almost inevitable” Ennis would improve as her progress continues in events such as the javelin, long jump and shot put.
Brice said if Ennis was to put together a heptathlon of seven personal bests she would smash the 7,000-point barrier that only three women have gone beyond.
He also pointed out that even small improvements in certain disciplines – the high jump, for example – could result in huge points gains.