Ennis ends season as she eyes future goals

The 24-year-old from Sheffield made the decision with coach Toni Minichiello to ensure she is in top shape for the defence of her world title in South Korea in 2011 and the London Olympics in 2012.

Ennis, who beat Olympic champion Nataliya Dobrynska by just 45 points in Barcelona, said: "I have had an amazing season and to win the European Championships was just incredible. It was such a close competition but there was no way I was not going to win.

"I had planned to run in the Aviva London Grand Prix and possibly the Brussels Diamond League, but on serious reflection Toni and I have decided that rest is key to my recovery both from the championships and the illness I had before I went.

"We have to look at the next two years' run into London and keeping me fit and healthy and improving those areas of my performance that I can and this is absolutely the right decision for me now."

Minichiello, who has coached Ennis from the age of 11, added: "We have always made decisions based on what is best for Jess and also how best to improve her performance going forward, particularly with London 2012 on the horizon.

"I have chatted to the wider team who work with Jess and we all feel a full de-brief and analysis of the season, and for her to recover fully is more important than chasing races.

"She will then come back to full training in October with our focus on making all the necessary advances for the 2011 season to endeavour to keep her ahead of the rest of her competition.

"We must never lose sight of the ethos of how we have always worked and calling time on this season is the right thing for us to do."

The absence of Ennis comes as another blow to the Commonwealth Games. Sir Chris Hoy is among a number of cyclists missing the Games because they clash with an Olympics qualifying event, while other leading British athletes are set to follow Ennis in skipping the event.