The small team of athletes from Dovedale Flyers Disabled Sports Club achieved great success at the BT National Junior Athletics Championships in Blackpool at the weekend.

They came home with more medals than there were people, but the competition was tough.

The most successful athletes with clean sweeps of gold medals were Alan Mansell from Maldon with golds for shot putt, discus and javelin in the under 20 age group, Jeffrey Russell from Rayleigh, with golds in wheelchair track events at 100m, 400m and 800m and in the 4x100m relay, and Carl Saggers from Braintree who won golds in the 60m, distance club and shot putt events in his category.

World Champion Lloyd Upsdell from Great Dunmow took golds in the Under 17 100m and 200m and bronze along with Steven Hanham in the 4x400m relay.

Steven also won silver medals in the under 15 100m and 200m events.

Andrew Smith from Chelmsford won gold in his javelin event, was fourth in discus and also took part in the shot putt event.

Mark Palmer from Silver End was second to Alan in the under 20's field events, taking silver for shot putt, discus and javelin.

Tyrone Clements from Chelmsford, was also part of the team, making the final in the under 15 100m event and taking part in the shot putt and 4x100m relay.

They helped the Eastern Region achieve fifth place out of the nine regions taking part.

The Regional competition was won by the large contingent from the West Midlands -- the message is that Chelmsford need more young athletes from our area to join them.

Many athletes who started with the Flyers when they were eight or ten years old are now National champions or representing their country.

Telephone Ros Smith on 01245 441201 for more details on the Dovedale Flyers Disabled Sports Club.

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