Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill honoured with commemorative plaque at Sheffield stadium

Following her MOBO Award win earlier this month, Sheffield's Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill has been honoured with a permanent, commemorative paving stone outside the English Institute of Sport, where she once trained.

The Olympic champion and three-time world champion heptathlete, was this year’s recipient of the MOBO Paving the Way Award. She was awarded in recognition of not only her achievements in sport, but as being an inspirational role model for many and a passionate advocate for local charities close to her heart.

Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, as well as representatives from Sheffield City Council and MOBO, unveiled the paving stone, which is engraved with the words, ‘The only one who can tell you you can’t win is you and you don’t have to listen’ as quoted by the athlete herself.

MOBO Paving the Way

MOBO debuted the Paving The Way award in 2015. On the inaugural year, actor, comedian, writer and screenwriter Sir Lenny Henry from the West Midlands received his Paving the Way award and laid the paving stone in Buffery Park in Dudley, where he used to play as a child.

In 2016, Leeds local Nicola Adams OBE received her Paving The Way award on the night of the MOBO Awards in Leeds itself, and the following week she laid her paving stone in the city centre of her hometown at the location of her special gold post box. Subsequent years have seen Paving the Way recipients include British actor and artist Idris Elba, and last year a special posthumous MOBO Paving the Way award went to Jamal Edwards, the visionary founder of SBTV.

The annual Paving The Way award forms a key part of the MOBO Awards and has been designed to celebrate individuals in any field who are creating a path for others to follow. It recognises exceptional talent who are trailblazers in their field and paving the way for future generations of talent.  The recipients lay special commemorative paving stones have been engraved with a quote of their own in a location that means something inspirational to them, their journey and their local community.