Derby AC women show their paces at UK Athletics Champs

Three female athletes from Derby Athletic Club gave of their best as they raced against some of the stars of British track athletics in the Novuna UK Athletics Championships. on 20 and 21 June in Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium.

First up was U18 400m specialist Caitlin Hadfeld. Caitlin, still only 17, has had a tremendous start to the season with a GB Juniors vest at the Loughborough International in May, followed by a call-up for the GB&NI squad at the Mannheim Bauhaus Juniors Gala in June.

The champs really delivered a special moment for Caitlin; as she lined up in lane 2, Keely Hodgkinson, the Olympic 800m champion and world indoor record holder, was setting up her blocks in lane 3. As Caitlin described it: “Such an amazing experience.”

Keely Hodgkinson greets the crowd with Caitlin on the right.

Caitlin, whose PB, set in Stratford in May, is 53.75, ran a strong 53.88 to finish an impressive fifth in the heat. The three women’s 400m heats on the Saturday featured a strong line-up of world-class and Olympic athletes including the in-form Mary Yemi John, who won silver in the final, Nicole Yeargin, Poppy Malik, Laviai Nielson, bronze medallist Charlotte Henrich, who won Caitlin’s heat, and the eventual winner Amber Anning.

Also on Saturday, another in-form DAC athlete, Molly Hudson, was running in the 1500m heats. She ran a strong race in a heat that included such top names as Revee Walcott-Nolan and Erin Wallace, to come third and qualify for the final on Sunday.

Molly, centre of image, races in the final against Laura Muir, far left, and Katie Snowden, far right.

Sunday saw Molly, who won the silver in the 1500m at the indoor UK champs earlier this year, competing in the final, and despite her best efforts, being squeezed out to sixth place in a race won by the defending champion Sarah Calvert. Molly commented afterwards: “I wanted more, but have come a long way since making my first champs final last year.”

Molly Hudson, red shorts, right, on the start line of the final with Revee Walcott-Nolan, third left, and race winner Sarah Calvert (far left).

The final DAC athlete to compete was a familiar face at these champs, 200 and 400m specialist Ella Blakey. Ella once again wore the Derby AC colours for the heats of the 200m – and she also was in top company as former world champion and Olympic relay medallist Dina Asher-Smith was racing two lanes outside her. Ella, a previous semi-finalist in the indoor UK champs, did not progress after a tough process where four heats saw eight athletes going forward to the final, which was won in some style by Success Eduan.

Ella Blakey on the start line for her 200m heat.

A massive well done to the DAC athletes competing and we look forward to continuing to follow your progress.

Caitlin Hadfield was part of the GB women’s 4 x 400m relay team at the Mannheim Gala earlier in June, running leg one in a race that saw the team scoop the gold medal. The team’s time of 3:33.83 was only 0.05 off the meeting record.