December 3 - New Delhi organisers suffered another blow today when Jessica Ennis (pictured), Britain's world heptathlon champion, said she is unlikely to compete in next year's Commonwealth Games.

 

The 23-year-old is set to join Jamaica's Usain Bolt, the world and Olympic 100 and 200 metres champion, in skipping the event because it does not fit in with her schedule.

 

The Sheffield athlete claimed the timing of October's event in Delhi would clash with her preparations for the World Indoor Championship and European Championship, which she considers key staging posts on the way to the defence of her world title in Daegu, South Korea in 2011.

 

She said: "The timing of the Commonwealth Games is not great.


"October is when I start my winter training so I'd have to push everything along, and it wouldn't be good for doing an indoor season the following year, which I need to prepare well for the next World Championship."
 

Ennis led the heptathlon from start to finish at the World Championships in Berlin, a performance which saw her shortlisted for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

 

She will also captain the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team in an international match at Glasgow's Kelvin Hall next month.

 

Her World Championship gold medal completed a remarkable comeback after missing last year's Olympics in Beijing with injury.


She said: "It is the complete opposite end of the spectrum from a year ago.

 

"I was completely forgotten about and that was a disappointment.
 

"But my performance in Berlin has brought massive change.

 

"There is a lot more media attention and opportunities and at the same time I am back in training and trying to work hard.
 

"There has been lots of changes, so it's about getting that balance right.
 

"Watching the Olympics at home was horrible.


"There is so much media attention and it was the Olympics this and Olympics that.
 

"It was really difficult to watch knowing I was close to being part of it before having it taken away from me.
 

"You had those days when you are crying and saying, 'why me?'

 

"And then you think there are worse things in the world and you have to get on with it.
 

"I would never want to go through an injury like that again but the World Championship made up for it quite a bit.
 

"The Olympics are a whole new level but the World Championships are the next best thing so to come back and win it made up for the Olympics disappointment a lot."

 

 

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