Liverpool Harrier and hurdle speedster Meg Corker will compete for GB & NI U20s in European Athletics’ explosive new competition.
Dynamic New Athletics (DNA) features six nations battling for points across two hours of fast-paced track and field action.
The Widnes athlete travels to Madrid in flying form, undefeated this season.
The sprint hurdler lowered her 60m indoor PB to 8.42 seconds in January, breaking the under-20 Northern record as a result.
Speaking to Merseysportlive, Corker (pictured, with coach David Gough) described her excitement ahead of the team event on February 22.
She said: “I’m gassed about it. I knew I would get a faster time, I just didn’t know how fast.
“To get selected and run for GB is unbelievable, it’s amazing.”
North West athletes represent
The Merseyside presence in Madrid is doubled by Wirral AC’s Sam Lunt who is selected in the 200m relay.
Sprinter Lunt is also in a rich vein of form, unbeaten in the 200m for over a year.
Indienne King, Ashley Nemits and Ava Lloyd (Wigan & District) join Issac Kambamba Delaney (Preston) and Sophie Walton (Horwich) in a strong North West contingent.
DNA’s progressive format is a rare opportunity for athletes across disciplines to compete for points in a team competition.
Corker added: “It means a lot as you get to know other team members properly. It brings everyone together in the athletics World.”
But international selection forced a withdrawal from the upcoming British Indoor Championships in Birmingham.
Following discussions with coach David Gough, the pair pulled out and put everything into training for the DNA event.
Aged just 18, there will be many National Championships to come for Corker who started her athletics journey with Halton & Frodsham Harriers.
Recent performances put her in contention to qualify for future National Finals and compete with Britain’s top hurdlers for senior medals.
The British U20 60m hurdles record of 8.19 seconds is currently held by Alicia Barrett and is within sight of the Merseyside star.
Corker could draw level with fellow Liverpool Harrier Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s indoor PB is she surpasses this mark.
More to come from Meg
Corker’s breakthrough indoor season has her in good stead for her favoured 100 hurdle distance and all-important summer Championships.
“My goal is to get stronger. I genuinely can’t wait for the outdoor season and race in some of the bigger competitions.”
Corker’s outdoor PB of 13.98 secs will tumble if she continues to execute her strong front-end form.
Performance Pathway Manager at UK Athletics Dan Wagner is looking forward to seeing how the team performs in Madrid.
He said: “It is a fantastic opportunity for our junior athletes to compete against some of Europe’s best athletes in their age group.
“The experience is valuable ahead of the summer which includes the European U20 and U23 Championships.”
An exciting new format
The British team will challenge 2022’s inaugural Champions Spain for gold in Madrid together with Portugal, Ireland, France and the Czech Republic.
Teams comprise nine men and nine women competing across sprint, endurance, jumping and throwing events with 12 points available per win.
Each point accumulated is worth 0.33 seconds in the match’s deciding race, ‘The Hunt’ where the winner takes all.
The showpiece event is a mixed relay over 2,000m with electronic barriers releasing each team after their calculated time penalty.
The first team across the line are crowned Champions in the novel new format dubbed ‘athletics with attitude’.
(Images courtesy of David Gough)
