Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill has admitted that she was 'shocked' to read the abuse targeted at her on social media after she spoke out about the Ched Evans rape controversy.
The 28-year-old warned Sheffield United last month that if the club re-signed convicted rapist Evans, she would demand for her name to removed from a stand at Bramall Lane.
Following her claims, the British athlete received a hoard of threatening and abusive messages, one of which came from a fellow Twitter user who hoped that Evans would rape the Olympic gold medallist.
"It was definitely a shock," Ennis-Hill told BBC Sport. "It was not very nice to read them but unfortunately that's the world we live in. You kind of have to keep focused on who you are and what you believe in, and try not to read too much into it.
"You can't spend hours going through your Twitter feed and reading everything every single person says to you. You need to get on with your life."
Evans is yet to be signed by any football club following his release from prison after serving half of a five-year sentence for raping a 19-year-old woman.
Danielle Joynson
