• London Olympics 2012

Ennis trying not to worry about injuries

Jess Ennis has shown impressive form so far this season © PA Photos

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Jessica Ennis admits the fear of picking up an injury before London 2012 does haunt her, but is delighted with how the early stages of her Olympic preparations have gone.

Ennis has been named in the Great Britain & Northern Ireland squad for the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Turkey next month, where she will bid to defend her pentathlon title.

It will be the first time that Ennis comes up against rival Tatyana Chernova, who pipped Ennis to heptathlon gold in last summer's World Championships.

And while Ennis claims she needs no more incentive for this summer's Games, she admits the defeat to Chernova has spurred her to train harder over the winter.

"It gives me a lot more motivation," Ennis told Sky Sports News. "I have been seeing some of the results that some of the girls have been posting already and they are in great shape and performing really well so I know that going out to Istanbul it's going to be a real battle.

"I think it's going to be a big indication of what other athletes around the world are doing, what shape they're in, and also how your winter training has been going. I am happy with the way the winter has gone and I feel like I am in a good position now, I need to maintain my performance for the next few weeks and then obviously build on what I have done for the summer."

While Ennis is one of Britain's top hopes for gold this summer, it will be her Olympic debut, having missed the Beijing Olympics with a foot injury. While she admits to worrying about injury, Ennis insists she is trying not to worry about factors outside of her control.

"Every athlete worries about injury and it is something that is often out of your control," she said. "But I just try to keep focused on what I am doing at the moment and try not to dwell too much on what has happened in the past."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.