Seamus Derbyshire has compared Great Britain's men's 4x400m relay squad to the Sugababes, highlighting the frequent changes in team composition. The 26-year-old, who went viral after describing the team as a 'girl group' at last year's World Championships, is now a more permanent member for the World Athletics Relays in Botswana.
The Stoke sprinter said: 'The girl group is ever changing, we're like the Sugababes. We're always gaining a new member and losing some but I think that shows how strong we are as a nation. We have so many different people that we can call on.' Derbyshire noted the mix of new and experienced athletes, including Olympic medal winners from the 4x400m team.
Derbyshire was a surprise inclusion in the relay at the World Championships in Tokyo last September, receiving just 45 minutes' notice before the team bus departed for the heat. Alongside Lee Thompson, Toby Harries, and Charlie Dobson—all also in the squad in Botswana—he helped Great Britain to a season's best time and a spot in the final, where the team finished sixth.
The Loughborough-based athlete, who works in a cafe, had felt deflated after failing to advance from his 400m hurdles heat. However, the relay opportunity transformed his view of the championships, calling it a 'great experience.' He said: 'It really allowed me to loop back and think of Tokyo as such a positive experience... It was a real reminder to me of how much I enjoy doing the sport.'
Derbyshire now sees the World Relays as his first major competition where he is solely a relay runner, a step he credits to the experiences at Tokyo. The team aims to secure places at September's World Athletics Ultimate Championships and next year's World Athletics Championships.
