Jessica Ennis has slumped down the board following a disappointing performance in the long jump with just one event to go in the pentathlon of the Indoor World Athletics Championships.
The British athlete was on course for a gold medal after successful outcomes in the 60m hurdles and the high jump.
The 26-year-old secured a ten-point lead after clinching a personal best of 14.79m in the shot put event, but struggled to maintain her dominance in the long jump.
Ennis finished seventh in the event with 6.19m, which was well short of Ukraine's 2008 Olympic champion Nataliya Dobrynska, who reached 6.57m.
"I'm absolutely gutted," Ennis told Channel 4. "It was terrible long jump and I just have to get my head right ahead of the 800m.
"I'm just going to go out there, give it my all and see what happens. It's a big gap. I'm going to sit down with my coach and work out some tactics."
The reigning champion needs to finish the 800m race six seconds ahead of Dobrynska in order to claim gold.
Danielle Joynson
