Proud Jessica hopes honour will inspire others to compete

Ennis, from Sheffield, received the honour in recognition of a glittering athletics career which has already seen her win a haul of titles and become one of the country’s best hopes of medal glory in the 2012 Olympics in London.

The MBE has been awarded for services to athletics.

The 25-year-old’s achievements include heptathlon gold at last year’s European Championships in Barcelona which she added to world title she claimed in Berlin a year earlier.

She also took world indoor gold in the pentathlon in March 2010 and will be one of the biggest stars at next summer’s Olympic Games. Ennis is one of two athletics stars going for glory at London 2012 included on today’s honours list, along with triple jumper Phillips Idowu also received an MBE.

“When I heard in was to be given an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours I felt so proud,” Ennis said.

“It is hard to put into words what it feels like to get such an honour in recognition of my sporting achievements.

“I love my sport and can’t think of anything I would want to do more, and to be recognised for the years of hard work and the success I have had over the past two years means so much.

“I would also like to congratulate Phillips Idowu on getting an MBE – this is so good for the sport of athletics and I hope it will inspire all of the young athletes out there.”

After suffering the blow of missing out on the 2008 Beijing Olympics because of a foot injury, Ennis has bounced back impressively and her profile has surged in tandem with her success.

She has rapidly emerged as the face of British athletics and she finished third in the BBC’s Sport Personality of the Year awards in both 2009 and 2010.

Among the nominees for the 2009 trophy was Idowu, who has emulated Ennis over the last two years with a world title in Berlin and European gold in Barcelona.

The 32-year-old from Hackney – a champion at the Commonwealth Games in 2006, European Indoors in 2007 and World Indoors in 2008 – also won an Olympic silver medal in Beijing.

It was announced earlier this year that Ennis was to be added to Sheffield’s “walk of fame” with a plaque alongside other famous names from the city such as Seb Coe, Michael Palin, Sean Bean and Joe Cocker outside the Town Hall.