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Jessica Ennis-Hill has revealed she hopes to compete at next year's World Championships in Beijing as she steps up her preparations to defend her Olympic title in 2016.
Ennis-Hill won gold in the heptathlon at the London 2012 Olympics and the 2009 Berlin World Championships, but missed the Moscow worlds last year due to injury and sat out the entire 2014 season due to the birth of son Reggie.
The 28-year-old is now back in full training and is aiming to get back up to speed to compete when China hosts the 2015 World Championships.
"It's amazing being a mom," she told Sky Sports News on Friday. "I'm loving every minute of it and it's great now I can get back on the track. It's definitely a busy time ahead, with lots to juggle.
"At the moment it's just about taking small steps but I'm hoping to compete again next summer. The World Championships in Beijing is a realistic aim and would be great.
"But the main aim is the Rio Olympics, that's where I want to be back at the top of my game."
Tennis player Kim Clijsters won the Australian Open title just 18 months after giving birth to her first child and Jo Pavey claimed European gold in the 10,000 meters this summer just 10 months after having her second.
And while Ennis-Hill admits she will have to manage her body carefully, she describes the prospect of returning to win a second gold after having a child as a 'fairytale'.
"I'm hoping to get a really good qualifying score for the Rio Games and take it from there, but I'm not pushing things too soon," she said.
"Even though I was training during my pregnancy it was nowhere near the level I'm training at now. It's about doing the rehab stuff and building back up as strong as I can. It's a bit like getting back on a bike again.
"But it would be incredible to be able to step away from my sport, have a baby, and then come back to win another Olympic gold medal - it would be a fairytale."
