By sprinting within onetenth of a second of her lifetime best, despite a headwind of three metres per second, Britain's Jessica Ennis ensured that she would hold an overnight lead in the heptathlon of more than 150 points.
In the midst of a blustering storm, the heptathlon 200 metres, the fourth and final event of day one, was an uncomfortable experience for most of the competing women. But after she had scored 928 points for her 24.56sec effort, Ennis could not stop herself smiling.
Her four-event tally was 3380.
With her nearest rival , Germany's Sarah Kern, scoring 822pts for her 25.72sec, Ennis was literally running away with the heptathlon - although with a best in the javelin of a modest 28 metres, the 17-year-old from Sheffield is only too aware of her need for a large points cushion going into the second day.
Of her other rivals, Iryna Ilkevych, of Ukraine, notched up 850pts for her 25.42; Germany's Julia Machtig scored 784 with her 26.15, and Marina Goncharova, from Russia, 809pts after a 25.86 performance.
The only heptathlete to stay on terms with Ennis was Brazil's Jailma Sales de Lima, who ran 24.83 for 902pts.
Kern goes into day two second overall on 3224, with Goncharova third with 3196, and less than 100 points separate Sales de Lima, in fourth (3180), from Marisa de Aniceto, of France, in seventh (3086).
