Ennis: Get ready for close finishes

Jessica Ennis warned her fans to expect more nail-biting competitions after her narrow victory in the European Championship heptathlon in Barcelona.

Ennis won World Championship gold in Berlin last year by 238 points, but added the European title to her collection by finishing just 45 points ahead of Olympic champion Nataliya Dobrynska. That was despite scoring 92 more points in Barcelona than Berlin, setting a new personal best and championship record of 6,823 points.

"It was definitely a tight competition, much tighter than Berlin, I felt at any moment it could flip around and change completely," admitted Ennis. "I had to really keep an eye on what everyone was doing, down to the last centimetre. It was close and really nerve wracking the whole way through. I think they're going to be tight from now on."

She added: "Next year at the world championships and the year after in the Olympics everyone's going to want it so bad and be really up for it.

"Everyone's going to keep improving and pushing so I imagine it will be tight so it's nice to experience this kind of championships and be pushed the whole way."

Dobrynska could only finish fourth behind Ennis in Berlin and a lowly seventh in Gotzis earlier this year, but the 28-year-old was back to the sort of form which brought her a surprise Olympic gold in Beijing.

"I knew she would be, she wasn't the athlete I remembered in Gotzis," Ennis added. "She was not in good shape at all. I knew she would be like this here and she will be the year after.

"She did a PB as well so at least I know when she's right at her peak I can get ahead of her as well. It's such a high level at the moment with everyone performing so well, I think it helps and does inspire you. You want to come out on top in the championships and the world rankings."

The good news for Ennis is that she still feels there is room for improvement, even on the first day when she won three of the four events - the 100m hurdles, high jump and 200m.

Dobrynska has been quoted as saying Ennis has no weaknesses but the 24-year-old from Sheffield added: "I have weaknesses but I've made good improvements on them. I don't feel I am at the point where I am 100% happy, I still feel there is more to come. I feel I had a great championships and I'm really pleased to keep improving year on year."