Olympic hero Jessica Ennis-Hill was back on home ground when she launched the first Santander Cycle docks to arrive in Newham at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park today.

Newham Recorder: Jessica Ennis-Hill, Santander brand ambassador and Olympic gold medallist, launching the extension of Santander Cycles Londons flagship cycle hire scheme to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in NewhamJessica Ennis-Hill, Santander brand ambassador and Olympic gold medallist, launching the extension of Santander Cycles Londons flagship cycle hire scheme to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Newham (Image: Archant)

The champion decathlete and poster girl for British Athletics rode on two wheels alongside London’s Cycling Commissioner Andrew Gilligan for the extension of the city-wide cycling scheme brought in under Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

Ennis-Hill was only yards from the stadium where she ran to victory and Olympic gold on what became known as Super Saturday during the London 2012 Games.

The park is now home to seven new cycle docking stations allowing for hundreds of “Boris bikes” to be collected and returned at any time.

Iconic Olympic buildings the Velodrome, Copperbox and London Aquatics Centre all have a docking station next to them. Bikes can also be docked by the Timer Lodge Cafe, EastTwenty Bark and Kitchen (formerly The Podium) and within the East Village neighbourhood.

Newham Recorder: Jessica Ennis-Hill, Santander brand ambassador and Olympic gold medallist, launching the extension of Santander Cycles Londons flagship cycle hire scheme to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in NewhamJessica Ennis-Hill, Santander brand ambassador and Olympic gold medallist, launching the extension of Santander Cycles Londons flagship cycle hire scheme to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Newham (Image: Archant)