Sheffield's finest has started back on the road to recovery after well-documented stress fractures in her right foot but the pain of missing out on her Olympic dream is still etched in her memory.

A protective boot encases the problem and crutches make sure the 22-year-old heptathlete keeps her weight off the injured limb. Despite this she's back taking the strain as best she can at Sheffield's EIS which is difficult as Jessica admits that patience has never been her strong point.

"I'm just getting on with the rehab and making sure I do everything I can to help it heal as quickly as possible," she said. "It's hard because I'm so impatient and want everything to move along quickly. It's really difficult for me to sit back and wait for everything to get back to normal.

"Everything was going so well. It was all coming together and I really felt it was my year to shine. Then in the blink of an eye it all came crashing down.

"I didn't really know what the injury was and I still thought I would be going to the Olympics. Then I looked at the scan and realised I wouldn't be going to Beijing and thought 'I can't keep up this appearance any longer and burst out crying.'

"Now it comes in waves. I feel okay and positive about things and then the next day I feel down again and so disappointed."

So will she be able to watch the Olympics when they start next month?

"I want to support my GB team-mates and I'll be interested in how the heptathlon goes but I know it will be really, really difficult to watch it knowing I could have been there."

The next important date is next Tuesday when she has another scan. In the meantime Jessica will continue to channel her energies in preparation for next season and hoped-for medal glory at the World Championships in Berlin.

"I'm just focussed on redirecting everything into next year. Then I'm looking to go out and win medals. I really want to make up for what I've missed out on this year," she added.



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