Jessica Ennis-Hill third in Manchester comeback race
- Published
Jessica Ennis-Hill marked her return to competitive athletics with third place in the 100m hurdles at the Great City Games in Manchester.
The British Olympic heptathlon champion, 29, was racing for the first time since July 2013 following injuries and the birth of her son, Reggie.
Tiffany Porter won in 12.86 seconds, with fellow Briton Lucy Hatton second and Ennis-Hill third in 13.14.
Olympic champion Greg Rutherford won the long jump with a leap of 8.01m.
Ennis-Hill, who claimed gold at the London 2012 Olympics, is targeting the defence of her title in Rio next year.
But her preparations have been hampered by a recurring Achilles problem.
Returning to the track in a four-woman field in her favourite discipline, Ennis-Hill was always unlikely to challenge European champion Porter, but she declared herself satisfied with her performance in front of an appreciative crowd on Deansgate.
"You always put pressure on as an athlete, and that can take the enjoyment and fun out of it, but I enjoyed that," Ennis-Hill told BBC Sport.
"I loved soaking up the atmosphere. It's a starting point. I'm a bit disappointed to not get sub-13 but I can build on this and get sharp."
In the women's 200m hurdles, Ennis-Hill's heptathlon rival Katarina Johnson-Thompson was pipped to the line by her fellow Briton Meghan Beesley.
Beesley won the event for the second year in a row in 25.28 seconds, just 0.03 secs ahead of European Indoor pentathlon champion Johnson-Thompson.
"It's a bit daunting - it just looks so far up the straight," said Johnson-Thompson after running the distance for the first time. "But it's a bit of fun and I got there in the end."
In the women's 150m, Britain's Dina Asher-Smith pulled off a surprise victory over European 100m and 200m champion Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands.
Asher-Smith pulled away in the closing stages of the race to win in 16.82 seconds.
Rutherford, who will look to add the world title to his Olympic, European and Commonwealth crowns later this year, won the long jump with his first leap of the competition.
"You always want to jump further but the weather conditions aren't great," he said. "I just couldn't quite get what I wanted. I love doing these events when you are so close to the crowd and it's always good to win."
Michael Rodgers of the United States won the men's 100m in 10.25 secs, with Britain's Richard Kilty 0.04 secs behind in second.
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