Derby athletes sit at top of Northern League after June fixture

Derby Athletic Club seniors are delighted to be top of the Northern Athletics League after Sunday 16 June’s team fixture at Moorways.

Competing against five other clubs – from Doncaster, Hull, Rotherham and two from Sheffield – DAC athletes gave their best on track and field to go into the final fixture in the lead after winning the Moorways event by 44 points.

Many athletes competed in four or more events, including Karla Teece, Manuel Díaz Brito, Shelley Morse, Isaac Wood, Bethan Hudson and Kelse Hutchinson. Making their Northern League debuts were Alice Crane and Mya Wright.

Impressive performances abounded on the day. In the sprints, Filippo Zambon recorded a PB of 11.60 to come second in his 100m race, later adding a PB in his 200m, while Florence Beedie and Ella Blakey came first and second respectively in their 100m. U17 athlete Eliott Archibald came first his 200m race, and Ella and Lauren Blakey both won their 200m races for the women’s team. In the 400m, Matthew Ward and Angelica Oparinde both claimed second places.

Eliot Archibald on his way to a 200m victory.

Middle distance was as strong as ever, with 800m wins for Jude Bush, Matthew Ward and Molly Hudson. Richard Weir (1500), Alice Crane and Jasmine Cooper (both 3000m) all posted wins. Guillem Moreno and Richard Weir both bagged wins in the 3000m steeplechase.

Molly Hidson storms to victory in the 800m.

Jude Bush fights his way through to win a tough 800m race.

In the relays, Derby were dominant, with the men coming fourth in the 4 X 100 and first, with an SB, in the 4 X 400, and the women claiming a PB to win the 4 X 100, plus a strong second in the 4 X 400.

Richard Weir claims victory for Derby in a close finish for the 4 x 400m relay.

The victorious men’s 4×400 relay team – Richard Weir, Jude Bush, Kenneth Walcott, Matthew Ward.

In the field events, Hana Klimentova achieved a PB of 2.70 in the pole vault and came second in her javelin contest. Other athletes showing strength on the field, many in a range of events, included Karla Teece, Barry Hawksworth, Shelley Morse, Kenneth Walcott and Danny McCrea. Isaac Wood came third in the shot, second in the hammer and javelin and first in the discus, while Hannah Barnden threw a PB to win her javelin competition.

Hama Klimatova posted a PB in the pole vault.

The final meeting is on Sunday 14 July in Hull.