• London 2012 - Athletics

Ennis roars out with world best

Jessica Ennis was all smiles after her blistering run © PA Photos

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Bronze again for Adlington after stunning Ledecky swim
  
• News: Determined Ennis holds lead after first day
  
• News: Pendleton & GB team pursuit enjoy golden night
  
• Profile: Jessica Ennis-Hill

The Olympic Games athletics opened with a bang, with Jessica Ennis setting a British record in the first event of the heptathlon.

Schedule
Results
Medal Table

Ennis is one of Britain's main medal hopes in the athletics and she made an early statement of intent with a blistering run in the 100m hurdles.

The hurdles is one of her stronger events and she demonstrated why with a time of 12.54. It is a personal best for Ennis, the fastest time ever recorded over the hurdles by a heptathlete and the same time as Dawn Harper ran in the individual event to win gold in Beijing in 2008.

It is all the more meritorious as Ennis did not make the best start. She was a shade slow out of the blocks, but was soon into her stride and devoured the ground to put daylight between herself and her rivals.

Ennis' time earned her 1195 points and she backed up her hurdles effort with a solid showing in the high jump. After a couple of failures at 1.86, Ennis cleared the bar for 1054 to take her score after two events to 2249. Her two events leave her in first place ahead Hyleas Fountain of US who is on 2224 following a high jump of 1.89m.

Ennis, though can look down on major rivals Natallia Dobrynsa and Tatyana Chernova who have 2056 and 2031 respectively, while Katarina Johnson-Thompson emerged from the high jump with a personal best of 1.89m which moved her into third overall with 2146.

Dai Greene made a fine start to his bid for Olympic gold, with the world champion easing home in 48.98 to win his heat and book his place in the semi-finals.

The three British competitors all eased through the women's 400m, with defending champion Christine Ohuruogo posting a time of 50.80. Shana Cox came home in 52.01, while Lee McConnell clocked 52.23.

In the women's triple jump, Britain's Yamile Aldama qualified for the final with her first jump of 14.45m.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.