European and world heptathlon champion Ennis started her season with a world-leading time of 7.97sec and victory over the American hurdler and 2010 world indoor champion Lolo Jones, in the 60 metres hurdles at the Aviva International Match in Glasgow.

Ennis won the pentathlon at the World Indoor Championships in Doha last year with a British record score of 4,937 points, just 54 shy of the world record set by Russia's Irina Belova in 1992.

The Briton is aiming to better Belova's mark at the European Indoor Championships in Paris next month.

The mercurial Russian Ukhov started the 2011 indoor season with a bang, clearing a world-leading 2.38 metres in Hustopeče and then had a very close miss at the world record height of 2.44m.

Nobody in the world has jumped higher since Ukhov himself went over 2.38m in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, last March.

The reigning European indoor champion will once again be an overwhelming favourite for the gold medal at the European Athletics Indoor Championships.

French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie, who cleared a world season leading 5.92m in Aubière, was voted second in the men's poll while Germany's Lars Albert, who produced a personal best of 5,777 points to win the national heptathlon title, came third.

Russian teenage prodigy Mariya Kuchina cleared a world junior best and 2011 world-leading mark of 1.97m at Beskydska latka meeting in the Czech city of Trinec and was voted second behind Ennis in the women's poll.

Briton Helen Clitheroe, who clocked 8min 52.31secto win the 3,000m race in Glasgow, finished third in the women's poll.