Heptathlete Jessica Ennis has won the inaugural European Athletics Rising Star award after a successful season culminated in her fourth place at the World Championships in Osaka.

The Sheffield athlete made her breakthrough to the senior stage last year when she was third in the Commonwealth Games and eighth in the European Championships before developing even further this season.

In May, the 21-year-old replaced former Olympic champion Denise Lewis as the British Under-23 record holder and equalled the British high jump record of 1.95metres in the process.

The following month saw Ennis leapfrog Olympic bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton to become British number one after triumphing at the European Cup Combined Events in Poland.

Ennis then won the 100m hurdles and high jump double at the national championships/world championship trials in Manchester and claimed bronze in the former at the European Under-23 championships in Hungary.

Her season culminated in fourth spot in Osaka where she was just edged out by Sotherton and set a lifetime best of 6469 with her British rival and team-mate tipping her to take the world title in Berlin in 2009.

Ennis will be presented with the award as part of the European Athletics calendar Conference in Malta on October 12.

Italian long jumper Andrew Howe won the men's equivalent after taking the silver medal in Osaka.

Sporting Life / Eurosport