Jessica Ennis-Hill: The Golden Girl of Athletics

Jessica Ennis-Hill: The Golden Girl of Athletics
Author: Rick Oosterhof
Publisher: Nicholas Horne
Total Pages: 65
Release: 2024-10-25
Genre: Sports & Recreation
ISBN:

Immerse yourself in the captivating journey of Jessica Ennis-Hill, the golden girl of athletics. From her humble beginnings to her Olympic triumph and beyond, this book provides an intimate account of her rise to stardom. Follow her through the highs and lows of her career, including her relentless determination and unwavering spirit. Discover the secrets to her success as a world-class heptathlete, including her rigorous training regimen, the importance of team support, and the unwavering belief in her abilities. Not only a biography, this book is a source of inspiration, revealing the mindset of a gold medalist and offering valuable lessons for aspiring athletes. Dive into the pages and uncover the enduring legacy of a true sporting icon, a symbol of British athletic excellence and a role model for generations to come.

Jessica Ennis: Unbelievable - From My Childhood Dreams To Winning Olympic Gold

Jessica Ennis: Unbelievable - From My Childhood Dreams To Winning Olympic Gold
Author: Jessica Ennis
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Total Pages: 233
Release: 2012-11-08
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1444768611

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.

Winning the Fight

Winning the Fight
Author: Maggie Alphonsi
Publisher: Birlinn Ltd
Total Pages: 299
Release: 2023-08-31
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1915359023

'Maggie has changed the way the game is played forever' - The Sunday Times Maggie Alphonsi is not only a national sporting icon, the face of international women's rugby and star player of the England side that won the World Cup in 2014. She is also an inspirational and totemic figure who transcends sport. The compelling story of her life makes her achievements even more extraordinary. Hers is an against-all-the-odds tale, becoming the best player in the world despite having to battle against racism, sexism, and prejudice. It is a book forged from the raw emotion, passion, and testimony of an iconic player, who rose to the elite of world sport when the world was seemingly stacked against her. It is a moving and revealing story of a woman who was not prepared to be defined by anyone but herself and gives the reader a unique insight into how she met her goals.

Same Old Girl

Same Old Girl
Author: Sylvia Patterson
Publisher: Fleet
Total Pages: 255
Release: 2023-04-27
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0349727449

'Patterson is one of the great comic writers of the last quarter century' THE HERALD 'Unsparing but ultimately uplifting, every sentence cuts a caper' MOJO 'A thoroughly engaging, life-affirming book' MAIL ON SUNDAY How does the big stuff in life truly change us? In late 2019, Sylvia Patterson was a celebrated pop journalist, still merrily writing about the musical greats. But with the diagnosis of a life-threatening disease, a global pandemic and the collapse of her industry, life was about to take a drastic turn. It was a misadventure that would teach her many things. The power of friendship, the shock of mortality and what happens when love is tested. How a walk in the park, a spontaneous dance and a TV hero can save your life. How your perspective can shift on everything, from work, family and music, to what truly makes you happy. And what really happens when your body, never mind your kitchen, falls apart. The follow-up to the Costa-shortlisted I'm Not with the Band, this is Sylvia's unflinching, poignant and gallows-funny odyssey through the mid-life trials we all face, as she tries to answer the big question: would it all change her, or would she stay that same old girl? 'A relatable read by a phenomenal writer' THE FACE 'There's no mistaking the writing of Sylvia Patterson' SUNDAY TIMES

Kicking Off

Kicking Off
Author: Sarah Shephard
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 305
Release: 2016-03-10
Genre: Sports & Recreation
ISBN: 147291385X

There's a battle being fought. It's raging on the sports fields, in the newsrooms and behind the scenes at every major broadcaster. Women in sport are fighting for equality with more vigour than ever, but are they breaking down the barriers that stand in their way? Sarah Shephard looks behind the headlines to see whether progress is really being made and tells the stories that can no longer be ignored. It's time for women to switch their focus from the battlefield to the sports field, once and for all. This candid and revealing book asks the questions at the forefront of the debate about women in sport: · Why do the most successful female athletes earn less than their male counterparts? · Why do so few elite sportswomen have the profile their talent deserves? · Why are girls still growing up believing that sport is 'for boys'? With contributions from women involved in sport at the highest level, including Chrissie Wellington, Maggie Alphonsi, Kelly Smith and Nicole Cooke, who reveal their personal experiences of being at the top of their game.

Laura Trott and Jason Kenny

Laura Trott and Jason Kenny
Author: Laura Trott
Publisher: Michael O'Mara Books
Total Pages: 319
Release: 2016-11-10
Genre: Sports & Recreation
ISBN: 1782437991

Vegetable Growing is a practical guide to frugal allotmenteering, including planning your plot, looking after the plants and practical tips for keeping your costs down, such as clever ways of making freebie alternatives to common growing tools.

Running My Life - The Autobiography

Running My Life - The Autobiography
Author: Seb Coe
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Total Pages: 732
Release: 2012-11-08
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1444731041

One second in time may separate the great athlete from the merely good. Seb Coe has made every second count. From an early age he has been driven to be the best at everything he does. Since the moment Coe stood alongside a 'scrubby' municipal running track in Sheffield, he knew that sport could change his life. It did. Breaking an incredible twelve world records and three of them in just forty-one days, Seb became the only athlete to take gold at 1500 metres in two successive Olympic Games (Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984). The same passion galvanised Coe in 2005, when he led Britain's bid to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to London. He knew that if we won it would regenerate an East London landscape and change the lives of thousands of young people. It has. Born in Hammersmith and coached by his engineer father, Coe went from a secondary modern school and Loughborough University to become the fastest middle-distance runner of his generation. His rivalry with Steve Ovett gripped a nation and made Britain feel successful at a time of widespread social discontent. From sport Coe transferred his ideals to politics, serving in John Major's Conservative government from 1992 to 1997 and developing 'sharp elbows' to become chief of staff to William Hague, leader of the Party from 1997 to 2001 and finally a member of the House of Lords. Running My Life is in turns exhilarating, inspiring, amusing, and extremely moving. Everyone knows where Sebastian Coe ended up. Few people realise how he got there. This is his personal journey.

How to Support a Champion

How to Support a Champion
Author: Dr Steve Ingham
Publisher:
Total Pages: 286
Release: 2016-02-25
Genre:
ISBN: 9780995464308

If you are contemplating working with a champion, a potential champion, or anyone with untapped talent - be prepared, be very prepared. In 1998 Sir Steve Redgrave stared at Ingham and demanded to know, "Are you going to make me go faster?" Ingham had been trained and developed as a scientist, but in that single instance he questioned everything he thought he knew. Applied science in elite sport has boomed. Science has radically changed elite sport, but one thing remains as the guiding focus - the summit of performing to your best and winning. This applies to the athlete, the coaches and increasingly for the applied practitioner. In this book Ingham draws on the lessons learned from a career in the intense, unforgiving rollercoaster of elite sport; helping, supporting and developing some of the best athletes in the world, including Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Matthew Pinsent, Hayley Tullett, Kelly Sotherton, and Jessica Ennis-Hill as they pursue their goals. His journey shows that all the knowledge in the world will get you only so far, but it is with trust, team-work, critical thinking, adaptability, accountability and altruism that you can truly support a champion.

Twin Ambitions - My Autobiography

Twin Ambitions - My Autobiography
Author: Mo Farah
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Total Pages: 367
Release: 2013-10-10
Genre: Sports & Recreation
ISBN: 1444779591

Hodder & Stoughton admire Sir Mo's bravery in revealing his experience of being trafficked as a child. His memoir TWIN AMBITIONS, published in 2013, is based on the story he felt able to tell at the time, which we understood to be the true version of events. It is now clear that Sir Mo did not wish to share some of his difficult early experiences and we respect the decisions he made both then and now. 4 August, 2012. Super Saturday. On the most electric night in the history of British sport, Mo Farah braved the pain and punishment to seize Olympic gold in the 10,000m - and in the process went from being a talented athlete to a national treasure. Seven days later, Mo seized his second gold at the 5000m to go where no British distance runner has gone before. Records have tumbled before him: European track records at 1500m, 5000m indoors, and 10,000m; British track records at 5000m, 3000m indoors and 10k on the road have all fallen to Mohamed 'Mo' Farah: the boy from Somalia who came to Britain at the age of eight, leaving behind his twin brother, and with just a few words of English, and a natural talent for running. His secondary school PE teacher Alan Watkinson spotted his potential and began easing this human gazelle towards the racetrack. In 2001 Mo showed his promise by winning the 5000m at the European Junior Championships. Soon he was smashing a string of British and European records. He began living with a group of elite Kenyan runners, following their strict regime of run, sleep, eat and rest. Mo was determined to leave no stone uncovered in his bid for distance-running glory. After a disappointing Olympics in Beijing Mo took the bold decision to relocate to Portland, Oregon to work under legendary coach Alberto Salazar. The results were emphatic as Mo took silver at the 10,000m and then raced to gold in the 5000m at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu. Even better would soon follow at London 2012. TWIN AMBITIONS is much more than an autobiography by a great Olympic champion. It's a moving human story of a man who grew up in difficult circumstances, separated from his family at an early age, who struggled to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and realise his dream.

Personal Best

Personal Best
Author: Denise Lewis
Publisher: Vintage
Total Pages: 238
Release: 2001
Genre: Athletes
ISBN: 9780712677370

On 24 September 2000 at the Sydney Olympics, Denise Lewis won the gold medal for the heptathlon. Although quite badly injured after the fifth event, she gritted her teeth and pulled through to achieve an excellent throw in the javelin, and finished the 800m with enough points to win her the gold. Although she had already won double gold at the European and Commonwealth games in 1998, and silver at the World Championships in Seville in 1999, her Olympic win really shot to fame. This is an amazing individual with a winning combination of talent, intelligence and looks. Growing up in Wolverhampton in a one-parent family Denise has learned that you can't have everything you want at once. At the age of 14 she would do the 3-hour round trip to Birmingham to be trained by coach Darrell Bunn. 'I questioned myself sometimes when I was tired and it rained. I thought "I don't want to do this today," but you rise above it.'She is an excellent role model and feels that it is important to show that women can be successful in whatever they try to do.So this book will not only be the autobiography of an amazing sportswoman, it will be an inspiration for anyone who has a talent, anyone who has a dream and the determination to follow it through to the ultimate achievement.