DAME Jessica Ennis-Hill, 38, was awarded a Paving The Way paving stone by the MOBOs this week in the iconic athlete’s hometown of Sheffield.
The Olympian received the specially engraved commemorative stone in the very same stadium where she trained as a young person.
The British heptathlon unveiled her commemorative stone alongside entrepreneur and MOBO founder Kanya King CBE, 55, at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.
The impactful stone has been engraved with the words ‘The only one who can tell you you can’t win is you and you don’t have to listen’.
Jessica shed light on the full circle moment at the ceremony, saying: “To have the MOBO Awards here in Sheffield and then to be awarded this permanent fixture, which is going to live here forever is such an honour.”
The South Yorkshire-born star continued: “I started athletics in this city as a nine-year-old girl. I’m just so proud that other young kids can come to this same facility.”
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Kanya echoed the same sentiment and said: “I want to congratulate Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill for her pioneering spirit and contributions, it is with great honour that we celebrate her immense achievements today.”
Jessica is fresh off the heels of receiving the Paving The Way award at this year’s 26th MOBO Awards, which took place at the Sheffield Utilita Arena on February 7th.
The trailblazing Paving The Way award debuted in 2015. Previous award recipients include comedian Lenny Henry, 65, actor Idris Elba, 51, influential British singer and rapper Ms Dynamite, 42, as well as the late visionary founder of SBTV, Jamal Edwards.
In 2015, the MOBOs released a documentary titled MOBO: Paving The Way on ITV2 to celebrate the achievements of the outstanding Paving The Way honour as well as the importance of the MOBOs in the history of British music.
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It featured recognisable British voices such as three-times MOBO winner Craig David, 42, along with British singer-songwriter and MOBO winner Ella Eyre, 29, who all reflected on their MOBO wins.
The Paving The Way stone is another well-deserved honour that the three-time world champion heptathlon can tell her adorable children, son Reggie, 9 and daughter Olivia, 6, who she shares with her husband and childhood sweetheart Andy Hill.
The 2010 European Champion lives in her hometown of Sheffield and gives back to numerous youth-led charities in Sheffield and across the country.
