DAC in strong position in YDL Upper Age Group

Derby Athletic Club is in a strong position in the Upper Age Group Youth Development League (YDL) after the meeting on Sunday at Burton involving a dedicated team of U17 and U20 athletes.
In the sprints, U20 men Kenneth Walcott (PB 100m, SB 200m) and Danny McCrea (SB 100m, PB 200m) both looked strong, while U17 men Thomas Silcock and Eddie Fenton showed well in the 200m, Tom just pipped into second place in his race with a PB, and Eddie winning his with an SB time, as well as chalking up a 400m win, while Tom also gained a PB in the 100m.
U20 athlete Lauren Blakey looked confident, winning her 100m in an SB time and coming second in her 200m, while for the U17s Angelica Oparinde and Toritse Etuwewe both ran excellent 300m races, Angelica coming second in hers and Toritse winning her race with an SB.
The club showed strongly as ever in middle distance; in the 800m, Jude Bush was second and Jake Martin first in their U20 races, and Ernie Cresswell took a second place for U17s. In the men’s 1500 DAC was again able to field three athletes, with strong runs from Senay Guzai, Sonny Jamieson and Matt Golder. For the women, Sosseh Badjie ran an SB in the U17 800m and Sarah Seal ran an SB for the U20 women.
In the men’s 3000m DAC was dominant, the only club out of 12 at the double-header meeting to field four athletes, with Senay joined in the U20 race by Jack Surgay, and Jack Davies and Ben Draper running for the U17s. Jasmine Cooper won the U20 women’s race with an SB. The club’s only hurdler on the day, Tobi Catsburg, posted an SB in the 400m hurdles.
On the field, a small team of athletes made a good impression, with high jumpers Kenneth Walcott (U20 men) and Orla McGinty (U17 woman) coming second and first respectively. Orla also posted PBs in the shot put and the long jump, while Danny McCrea and Jude Bush both jumped PBs in the U20 men’s long jump competition.
In the throws Shay Tarbit came second in the U17 shot put, and saved his best for the discus, where he threw an impressive PB of 43.91. Hannah Barnden, nursing an injured finger, came a positive second in the U20 women’s javelin, while Jasmine Teece, who had stepped up to run 800m, also competed in the shot and javelin for the U20 women. Also stepping out of their track comfort zones were Senay, Kenneth and Eddie, who all threw javelin for the club and Tom, who threw shot.