Jessica Ennis accepts apology, will overcome hurdle

Jessica Ennis has accepted an apology from Great City Games organizers after an accounting error — as in, they counted nine instead of 10 hurdles.

Ennis, a medal favorite for England at this summer’s London Olympics, won the 100-meter hurdles race on Sunday in Manchester during the Great City Games track meet.

Trouble was, Games organizers forgot an entire hurdle. So Ennis’s personal-best time of 12.75 seconds was nullified.

“We’re embarrassed and disappointed,” spokesman David Hart told The Independent. “Jessica has accepted our apology. We take full responsibility and it won’t happen again.”

Ennis didn’t realize the mistake immediately, and it wasn’t until another athlete pointed out the error through Twitter that word of the mix-up filtered down to her.

She had already completed interviews before learning of the error.

The 26-year-old heptathlete was especially proud of herself because she beat beat Olympic champion Dawn Harper and world silver medallist Danielle Carruthers, The Associated Press reported.

Ennis called it a massive, “massive mess-up,” the AP said.

Her coach said Ennis is not going to dwell on the event, a spectator-friendly meet run through the streets of Manchester.

There were only four racers in the hurdles.

“It wasn’t a national record, it wasn’t even a meeting record,” said Ennis’s coach, Toni Minichiello, according to The Daily Mail. “It would have been a personal best for Jess, but it’s water under the bridge.”

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