Jess targets second world title

Trafford AC golden girl Jessica Ennis has collected two more awards and been nominated for one of the most prestigious individual honours in the world.

Pin-up girl Ennis is in the running to become Laureus world sportswoman of the year on a night of stars in Abu Dhabi next month.

Britain’s World and European heptathlon champion is in stellar company, including the girl who pipped her to become 2010 IAAF female athlete of the year, Blanka Vlasic.

However, her listing is further evidence of Ennis’ global success. The award will be decided by a panel of 46 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time.

Ennis is up against a formidable array of talent, including the current holder of the title, Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, Serena Williams.

The other nominees are Belgian tennis star, Kim Clijsters, holder of the US Open and a winner of four other events in 2010; Croatian Vlasic, the European and World Indoor high jump gold medallist, Lindsey Vonn, American Olympic downhill skiing champion jump gold and a third tennis nominee, Danish ace, Caroline Wozniacki.

The winner will be unveiled at a televised awards ceremony on February 7.

Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal is favourite for the World Sportsman of the Year accolade after becoming the first man since 1969 to win the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year.

Barcelona team-mates, Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta are also in contention.

Ennis, third in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards, has just won two more trophies at the North of England AA Indoor Championships.

Before he first competition of the new season, the 24-year-old all rounder was the recipient of the Nelson Neal Trophy – for the best multi-event performance in 2010 – and the Dame Marea Hartman Award for the English female athlete adjudged to be the outstanding athlete of the year.

Ennis celebrated by opening her campaign by winning the 60 metres hurdles title in 8.15 seconds.

In action for the first time she won her Euro crown last July, Ennis also finished runner-up in the shot with an indoor personal best of 14.11m.

That was a 10 centimetres improvement on her previous best achieved when winning World Indoor pentathlon gold in Doha almost 12 months ago.

But not everything went to plan for the 2012 Olympic gold medal hope.

After running a heat of the 60 metres sprint Ennis suffered a minor knee injury scare and pulled out of the final.

The race was won by Birchfield Harrier Bernice Wilson who broke Ennis’ championship record.

Ennis, who became engaged to 26-year-old construction worker, Andy Hill, on Christmas Eve, is due to compete at this weekend’s Loughborough Open.

However, she is now more likely to rest up until the Aviva International meeting in Glasgow on January 29 – the day after her 25th birthday.