Jessica Ennis Ready For European Test

30 July 2010

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Jessica Ennis has become the golden girl of British athletics when she stormed to heptathlon gold at the world championships in Berlin twelve months ago.

The gold allowed her to put the disappointment of missing out of Beijing, due to injury, as she showed that she could be a dominating force in the sport.

Ennis got her campaign for European gold underway this morning as she looks to add to her world title. I caught up with her at the training camp in Portugal to talk about her preparation for the championships.

- The European Championships is the next big competition so how is your training going and how you describe you fitness and form?

My training has been consistently going well, and have been putting in some good sessions both at home and here at the Aviva warm weather training camp in Portugal

- You are currently in Portugal to do some warm weather training so what sort of things are you working on and how is it going?

The warm weather certainly helps, so I’m concentrating on sharpening up my speed and improving each event

- What still needs to be done on the run up to Barcelona?

I’m making my final preparations by covering off each event and perfecting any little bits

- You missed the UK Championships so how are you? And what was wrong?

I’m feeling loads better now after being so disappointed. It was a virus that came out of nowhere, and unfortunately got the better of me

- How has that time off hampered your preparation and what have you been doing to get back on track?

It’s been really frustrating, so I’ve been putting in a lot bed rest with a bit of training

- With that world title 12 months ago you are very much the favourite going into Barcelona so how do you cope with that sort of pressure?

I try not to get overwhelmed with pressure, so I don’t think about it and think back to last year

- And while everyone is looking to you what expectations do you have or yourself in terms of medals? And what are you hoping for in the individual disciplines?

In competition, I have my own goals and aim to beat them at each event, and contend any medals

- Which of the other heptathletes do you consider a major threat in Barcelona?

I’m definitely keeping my eye on Russian athlete Tatyana Chernova

- In 2008 you couldn’t go the Olympics due to injury so how has that disappointment spurred you on over the last two years?

That was a massive set back for me, so It’s definitely made me more hungry for success at future competitions

- And it was gold for you last year so what did that success do for you as an athlete?

The gold was a great title, and taught me to really believe in myself

- You have already decided not to compete in the Commonwealth Games so why have you decided not to go to Delhi?

As I was at my peak at the World Indoors, the heptathlon is a tough event all year round and wanted to plan and concentrate on the next season in the run up to the Olympics

- London 2012 is, scarily, only 2 years away so how much are you looking ahead to that and how is your work now preparing for that?

The same as Barcelona and other competitions, just taking it event by event and focusing on each year in turn

- You are in Portugal with the rest of the GB ladies so what is the mood and confidence like in the camp?

The atmosphere in the Aviva camp is really good, so I’m enjoying the fun environment with the rest of the team

- Finally after the Euro’s what’s next for you?

I’ll be leaving the season on a few individual events and hurdles races until the end of September

Jessica Ennis is an Aviva GB & NI team athlete. Aviva's support, both at home and abroad, is helping the team to compete at their best. Watch the team live in action at the Aviva London Grand Prix, Crystal Palace August 13-14th. For more details visit aviva.co.uk/athletics

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw

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