Jessica Ennis-Hill is not used to finishing third but for once it did not matter. It was all about the return, the feeling of being back on the track again.
Equally Ennis-Hill’s first race since becoming a mum saw fellow Briton Tiffany Porter show her credentials once more as a European champion.
The event on Saturday was the Great City Games in Manchester, a street athletics competition on a man-made track, and it was the moment Olympic heptathlon champion Ennis-Hill has been preparing for since announcing her comeback following the birth of son Reggie last July.
Ennis-Hill was quick out of the blocks but another Briton Lucy Hatton led before their teammate Porter came through to win in 12.86.
Hatton was second in 13.06 with Ennis-Hill third in 13.14.
Jessica Ennis-Hill is not used to finishing third but for once it did not matter. It was all about the return, the feeling of being back on the track again.
Equally Ennis-Hill’s first race since becoming a mum saw fellow Briton Tiffany Porter show her credentials once more as a European champion.
The event on Saturday was the Great City Games in Manchester, a street athletics competition on a man-made track, and it was the moment Olympic heptathlon champion Ennis-Hill has been preparing for since announcing her comeback following the birth of son Reggie last July.
Ennis-Hill was quick out of the blocks but another Briton Lucy Hatton led before their teammate Porter came through to win in 12.86.
Hatton was second in 13.06 with Ennis-Hill third in 13.14.
Jessica Ennis-Hill return feedback
“The feelings were excitement, obviously nerves, but it was such a nice feeling to be back on the start line and lining up for a race again,” said Ennis-Hill.
“It has been different for me. I have not been away because of injury or anything disappointing, I have been away for an amazing thing, having my son, so it has been very mixed feelings. But it is just great to be back now.
“You always put pressure on yourself as an athlete and that sometimes takes the enjoyment and the fun out of it. But I really enjoyed that, soaking up the atmosphere again. I have a starting point now.”
Ennis-Hill will compete in the heptathlon again at the end of May in Götzis where she will face her British teammate Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who won pentathlon gold at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Prague in March.
Porter finds herself in a good place, too, having produced a brilliant performance to win gold in 12.66 at the European Athletics Championships in Zurich last summer.
“My form has been really good, I am in the shape of my life,” said Porter. “I am perfecting some parts of my race and working on some things technically so the goal is to just get better with every single competition.”
article source: European Athletics