Sotherton leap boosts medal hopes

Heptathlete Kelly Sotherton remained on course for Great Britain's first medal at the World Championships in Osaka after leaping to a personal best of 6.68metres in the long jump.

Third-placed Sotherton holds a 160-point lead over team-mate Jessica Ennis, while Ukraine's Lyudmila Blonska kept the pressure on leader and defending champion Carolina Kluft with a personal-best jump.

Birchfield Harrier Sotherton is currently 91 points behind second-placed Blonska with her troublesome javelin and strong 800m remaining.

Ennis, who led after setting a personal best in the 100m hurdles on Saturday, fell seven centimetres short of her personal best of 6.40m to remain fourth.

While Ennis, Sotherton and Blonska fight for position on the bottom steps of the podium, Kluft remains on course for a third consecutive world crown.