Derek is a bilateral above knee amputee and is in Paralympic athletics class F57. 

Derek began working with Alison in October 2011 as his aim was to make the 2012 Paralympic GB team. He began his campagin by winning Gold in the F57/58 Discus at the IPC Athletics European Championships in Stadskanaal in June 2011, his first international competition.

In July 2011 Derek was selected onto the Paralympics GB team for the 2012 London Paralympics Game, having improved and consolidating his performance consistency over the nine months working with Alison. In this short time he also had a new throwing frame made and was fitted with new prosthetic legs.

Derek finished 12th in the F57/58 Discus in London which was a little disappointing for him. However, he refocused setting his sights on the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France, in July. In his first competition of the 2013 season, Derek improved his personal best to 45.43m and then went onto to secure a 6th place at the World Champs. 

In 2014 a number of things happen which lead to the end of Derek's

Paralympic career. These included:

• the IPC combining the F57 and F58 classes into one
• dropping discus as a Paralympic event,
• changing the rules for seated throwers.

More information on Derek can be found here.