Satisfied Ennis targets 100m hurdles record

World heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis is determined to break the British 100m hurdles record following another strong run in the event, this time at the New York Diamond League meet on Saturday night.
By The Newsroom
Published 14th Jun 2010, 10:54 BST
Updated 14th Jun 2010, 10:55 BST

Sheffield-born Ennis narrowly lost a three-event challenge with fellow heptathlete and Olympic silver medallist Hyleas Fountain at the adidas Grand Prix but fulfilled her objective of improving her long jump personal best ahead of next month's European Championships in Barcelona and winning her 100m hurdles duel with the American.

The reigning World Indoor pentathlon and outdoor heptathlon champion, Ennis had won the shot put, her strongest event in this contest, with a throw of 13.61m, to the American's 13.47m.

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Then the 24-year-old managed a 6.51m leap while the more accomplished long jumper Fountain reached 6.65.

Next came her hurdles run, outside her personal best of 12.81secs but a good race win having reeled in the fast-starting Fountain, who had beaten her in the same event during the heptathlon they contested, and Ennis had won overall, in Gotzis, Austria last month.

With Angie Thorp's 1996 mark of 12.80 still intact, Ennis said: "This was a great event, the challenge, as I'm just looking to get ready for the Europeans, but I just want that British record in the hurdles. I keep running in the 12.80s but it's not bad and I'm really pleased with my long jump personal best."

Ennis will prepare for the European Trials and UK Championships at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium at the end of the month and then compete at the Aviva British Grand Prix meet in Gateshead on July 10 ahead of the Europeans in Barcelona, starting on July 27.

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Jamaica's Veronica Campbell-Brown improved on her world-leading time in the 200m as she beat American rival Allyson Felix in their first meeting on US soil.

Two-time Olympic champion Campbell-Brown clocked 21.98 toedge out three-time world champion Felix, who came in at clocked 22.02 for second.

Wakefield Harriers' Emily Freeman was sixth in 23.37 on her first outing of the season over 200m.

Britain's world triple jump champion Philips Idowu had to settle for third as Teddy Tamgho of France recorded the longest jump in almost 12 years.

Tamgho extended his world-leading distance to 17.98m.

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