Ennis strikes gold once again despite injury concerns

However, the problem quickly disappeared into the background in the pulsating five-event competition as Sheffield's Ennis became the first British athlete to win the title following Kelly Sotherton's silver medal two years ago.

Ennis may be shorter in stature than most of her multi-event rivals but she again showed she stands head and shoulders above them in terms of talent when producing a championship record points tally at the Aspire Dome.

It was a display made all the more remarkable because of the injury worry that had plagued her thoughts in the build-up to the competition.

"The injury was always at the back of my mind and I was always a little bit worried thinking about it," she said. "It was always going to be a very high level of competition and it was great to have the opportunity to compete against most of the girls who were out there in Beijing and also the American athlete Hyleas Fountain.

"It gives me confidence and the belief in myself that I've got the ability and I can take on great heptathletes and come out on top so yes, I'm looking forward to the season ahead."

Ennis showed her Yorkshire grit when she recovered from a poor start to the long jump, the penultimate event, to produce a career-best leap of 6.44m which strengthened her advantage over her rivals.

The 24-year-old said: "I went in hoping to do well but the (first) jump was just shocking.

"There was then the frustration I wouldn't pull a good jump out and it worried me, particularly as I was taking off on the other leg than I used to.

"At first I thought it was a no jump because I rarely hit the board. It was such a good jump and I was absolutely made up. But I was still waiting to see what Fountain would do."

But the American, who has a personal best of 6.89m, jumped only two centimetres further and Ennis, as the fastest 800m runner among the medal contenders, was assured of the title.

"I then did begin to see a gold medal. Obviously I'm a lot smaller than all the others are, but despite this I can perform," added Ennis.

Ennis, who will take a week's break before commencing her summer schedule, is adamant that under the guidance of coach Toni Minichiello she will cope with the pressure on and off the track of being one of the major hopes for gold medal success at the London Olympic Games in 2012.

"It is all about maintaining fitness and staying injury-free and I hope I can do that up to 2012," she said. "It has been busy, with things to juggle, but I have managed to pick out things that are important to do.

"I have also been very conscious that I am keeping on top of everything training-wise and doing all the things I was doing before but also taking the time for new opportunities.

"The limelight is nice in small doses, to be part of things and be invited to events but it is also nice to quietly get on with training and working towards your next goal."

Britain ended the championships with four medals as sprinter Dwain Chambers won gold in the 60m, the 4x400m GB men, including City of York's Richard Buck, won a relay bronze and Jenny Meadows produced the finest performance of her career to take silver in the 800m.