The Norwich Union GB&NI team maintained their solid start to the World Youth Championships currently taking place in Ostrava, Czech Republic, with the sprinters in particular catching the eye.

After the first day’s action, speed merchants Asha Philip (Newham & Essex), Ashlee Nelson (City of Stoke), Jordan Huggins (Enfield & Haringey), Chris Clarke (Marshall Milton Keynes) and Jordan McGrath (Solihull & Small Heath Harriers) all find themselves nicely poised for success ahead of their respective semi-finals on Thursday.

In the first round of the men’s 400m, Clarke and McGrath both qualified from their heats in a manner that will give them nothing but confidence for Thursday’s semi finals. For Clarke, the job was virtually done at 300m as he took apart the field in Heat 1 and could afford to coast home in 48.03.

Afterwards, he said: “It actually felt really comfortable and I could jog the last 100m. I’m surprised at the form I am in.  I’m just going to relax, get a good sleep and recover for tomorrow. Hopefully I can run well again in the semi final, because I want to get a good lane (for the final).

Equally impressive was McGrath who produced a remarkably mature run from the outside lane.  Despite early pressure from the early pacesetters to his inside, he kept his head to eventually claim the lead 50 metres out for a fine win in 48.25.

He said: “It felt good. In the first 200, I got caught by the Jamaican, but I just kept thinking to myself that I’m stronger than all the rest, if I keep my form I should reel them in and that is how it happened. Now, I’m just going to warm down, watch a couple of my mates race, go back (to the athletes’ village) and get a good meal inside me.  It’s all about making that final.”

In the women’s 100m, Asha Philip (Newham & Essex) and Ashlee Nelson (City of Stoke) laid the gauntlet down to their rivals as they headed the qualifiers for Thursday’s semi-finals.

Philip won Heat 3 in mightily impressive style, easing up in 11.53. Afterwards, the smiling 16 year-old said: “I felt a girl alongside me, but I am always being told to race the time not the person and it helped.

“I’ve trained more than ever before for this, so I am hoping for the best.  Now I’m going to try and get some sleep and try and stay off my feet before tomorrow.”

In the following heat, Nelson endured the prolonged false-start disqualification of Jamaican Gayon Evans, which rather than distract her, merely inspired her as she came tearing through to win in 11.65.

Speaking of the false starts, she said: “It angers me, it makes me run more aggressive. I don’t want to be starting, stopping and starting again. I just want to get on with it. I was just thinking drive, drive, drive all the way through.”

In the men’s 100m, there were mixed fortunes for the British athletes.  Jordan Huggins (Enfield & Haringey) battled through to the last 16, whilst Olufunmi Sobodu (Blackheath & Bromley) missed out.

Sobodu was drawn in the tough first quarter final, which as it turned out, produced the two fastest qualifiers in Kenneth Gilstrap (USA) and Keynan Parker (Canada). Sobudu was always up against it and finished fifth in 10.79. 

Afterwards, he said: “My start wasn’t there, I didn’t run my own race.  I will talk to my coaches and see what they say. My heat was faster and the time I ran there would have got me through.”

In the second quarter-final, Huggins was drawn on the unfavoured lane eight, but kept focussed, finishing third in 10.76.  “It’s getting better.” He said. “That was definitely better than the last round. I was by myself and had to focus on my own race. I qualified, so that’s enough.”

Looking ahead to Thursday’s semi-finals, he said: “Sleep, that’s all I want to do right now.  I’ve got the morning to myself and time to focus and, hopefully, get myself in that final.”

In the men’s 800m, Chris Harvey (Cannock & Stafford AC) had an anxious wait before he was assured of his place in Thursday’s semi finals. After spending most of the race leading with eventual race winner, Samwel Chepkwony of Kenya, he was gobbled up in the closing stretch and finished fourth. 

But he was later rewarded for his willingness to take on the pace, by grabbing the second of eight fastest loser slots. Indeed his time of 1:53.14 actually made his the fifth fastest qualifier out of the 24 semi finallists.

“It’s a bit of a lifeline.” He said. “I will just try and run the next round the same, but just to be more aware and try and stay as strong as I can over the last 200m.