• Athletics

Ennis feeling fit and injury free

ESPN staff
May 16, 2011
Jessica Ennis finished third in the 100m hurdles © Getty Images
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World heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis shrugged off injury fears as she kicked off the season with a fast hurdling performance in wet conditions in Manchester.

Just a month after returning to full training following an ankle injury, Ennis clocked the fourth fastest 100m hurdles time of her career to finish third at the Great City Games on Sunday.

American hurdler Danielle Carruthers took the victory, while Ennis crossed the line in 12.88, beating British team-mate Tiffany Ofili.

"Coming into this, I just didn't really know where I was, to be honest, so to run 12.88 shows that I'm in good shape," she said.

"If someone had said two weeks ago that I would be in Manchester running that sort of time, I'd have been very happy. One massive positive to take from the day is that my ankle feels good. Hopefully, I can just keep on improving all year."

Her coach Toni Minichiello was also impressed with Ennis' performance against a field of hurdling specialists.

"With the field she was up against she should have got well and truly spanked, but she was quite competitive so that's pleasing," he said.

Ennis will compete in a couple of events at the Loughborough International on Sunday before making her heptathlon season debut in Austria later this month.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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