• London Olympics 2012

Ennis shuns limelight for 'heads-down time'

Jessica Ennis and her coach Toni Minichiello are working to a 'plan' © PA Photos

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Jessica Ennis admits she is entering the most important months of her career as she counts down to London 2012, while the poster girl of this summer's Games says she is using the heartache of missing the last Olympics to help propel her to heptathlon gold.

The 25-year-old is one of Britain's leading medal hopes going into the Olympics and, with expectation levels rising, the magnitude of what lies ahead has finally dawned on the Sheffield-born star.

"I am determined to give myself the best chance of becoming the Olympic heptathlon champion, so it is heads-down time," she told the Times. "I have been asked to do lots of things, TV and appearances, and I would love to have done them, but it's such a short career and I don't want to look back and think, 'Damn, why did I do those things and miss training?'

"I hope there is time to do the fun stuff after the Olympics, but these are the most important few months of my career and I don't want any regrets."

While Ennis is busy implementing her coach Toni Minichiello's 'plan', still fresh in the mind is the disappointment of four years ago, when injury ruled her out of the Beijing Olympics - a regret that is fuelling her motivation.

"Sometimes I do find myself drifting back to the last Olympic year, in 2008," she said. "Things were going well then until I broke my ankle and missed the Games. It does not seem very long ago and I use those memories to keep me doing things properly. I have to make sure I have adapted my training and I am not putting too much impact on my foot. Immediately afterwards I was very cautious and did all my warm-ups on the bike, but as time goes by you get a bit slacker. Those horrible memories remind me.

"I think I was naive back then, blissfully training and thinking life was always sweet. That injury opened my eyes to everything. It made me realise how freak things can affect your season and career.

"It also provided a bit of perspective after missing out on the gold at the World Championships last year. I know what I have to do to get back to the top of the podium."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.