BRITAIN’S Jessica Ennis will take a 110-point lead into the second day of the heptathlon in the European Championships in Barcelona today.

World champion Ennis led by 134 points after winning the 100m hurdles and high jump, but was trailing Olympic champion Nataliya Dobrynska by 26 until a last-round throw of 14.05m in the shot gave her a lead of 11 points going into the 200m.

And the 24-year-old from Sheffield responded superbly with a season’s best of 23.21 seconds to make it three wins out of four and restore a healthy cushion ahead of today’s long jump, javelin and 800m.

“I’m really pleased with that 200m, it’s a good time,”

said Ennis.

“I think it was a little bit quicker than I ran in Berlin (by 0.04secs).

“In the shot I just put myself under too much pressure in the last round – my heart can’t take it – but I’m really pleased to get 14 metres.”

Asked about the challenge of Dobrynska, who was 307 points behind at the same stage in last year’s World Championships in Berlin, Ennis said: “I came here knowing it wasn’t going to be easy, I knew it would be a challenge.

“I’ll fight to the end and keep my fingers crossed. I want to get a solid long jump in and do myself justice.”

Ennis, who led from start to finish to win the world title in Berlin last year, remains on course to repeat that feat after winning the 100m hurdles in 12.95s and being the only athlete to clear 1.89m in the high jump.

That gave her a 134-point lead over Dobrynska, but it was wiped out in the first round of the shot in the Olympic Stadium. While Ennis could only manage 13.49m, 0.76m down on her personal best, Dobrynska threw a season’s best of 15.88m to move into a 26-point lead.

Ennis could not improve in the second round, throwing 13.11m, but the 24-year-old from Sheffield responded superbly with her final attempt, a throw of 14.05m taking her back into the lead.

Speaking after the morning events, Ennis said: “I was woken up by the rain this morning so I was a bit worried it was going to be horrible, but it turned out okay.

“I’m quite pleased. I would have liked to have squeezed a bit more out of both events but I’m not going to complain too much, I’m leading and happy with the start.

“The wind felt really strong in the hurdles and turned around a bit for the high jump, so it’s not ideal, but you have to contend with it.”

The heptathlon is usually on the first two days of competition rather than towards the end of the championships, but Ennis has at least seen Britain win five medals over the first three days.

“I like being at the start, it’s a bit weird sitting and waiting, but watching everyone else do so well is really inspirational,”

she added.