Nominees for St Edmundsbury Sports Awards announced
After another raft of nominations were put forward, the list of nominees for this year’s St Edmundsbury Sports Awards has been announced.
In the ninth year of the awards, run by Abbeycroft Leisure to celebrate sporting talents and contributions across the borough, a panel of judges have been asked to put forward their scores for nominees across 10 categories with the winners set to be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony at the Apex in Bury St Edmunds on October 2.
The public are also being asked to vote for their People’s Champion and, for under-18s this year, Youth People’s Champion, from the shortlist printed in last week’s paper, with voting having closed on Monday.
A new Greene King Sports Personality of the Year is set to be crowned from a shortlist of three, to follow in the footsteps of last year’s champion Esther Colman, from West Suffolk Wheelers and Triathlon Club.
Race walker Callum Wilkinson, who left King Edward VI Sixth Form in Bury St Edmunds this summer, had an outstanding year on the track, competing for England and Great Britain at competitions in Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Spain and Sweden setting three new British Under-20 records, at 2km, one mile and 10km.
He is up against Bury St Edmunds’ quadruple-winning Bury Kings Tchoukball Club fellow teenage sensation Max Van der Oort, whose performances have seen his pick up their Players’ Player of The Year award for the third year in a row. He has also become a key player for the UK development squad and was named Tchoukball UK’s Young Male Player of The Year.
Completing the trio vying for the prestigious accolade is St Edmundsbury Sailing and Canoeing Association star Deb Steele, who has ruled the waves with one gold, two silver and two bronze medals at the International Sailing Federation Team Racing World Championship for Great Britain as well as volunteering at her club as a dinghy instructor.
The Suffolk Sport Young Sports Personality of the Year Award has got an abundance of talent put forward, with 11 youth athletes up for the prize.
Jetts Netball Club’s Phoebe Parker, a member of the Netball East Regional Academy joins Haverhill Rovers Football Club’s Suffolk player and qualified coach Rhys Shulver and Haverhill Cricket Club’s 14-year-old adult second team player Harry Harding on the shortlist.
Bury Kings Tchoukball Club player Niamh Farrelly, who was named the best young female player in the country after captaining Bury to the under-15 national title, West Suffolk Athletics Club’s new England pentathlon star Kat Kemp and Haverhill Cricket Club’s Will Bailey, who has been playing in the adult second team are also included.
England Under-15 capped netball player Jasmine Tebbitt, multi-talented Holly McGerty, who has shone for Haverhill Ladies Hockey Club II in their unbeaten season as well as representing the county at table tennis and winning the Suffolk School Under-19s title and Bury Spectrum Gymnastic Club’s Eastern Squad member Danielle Tabois make up the list along with England Under-16 basketball player and qualified referee Maya Price and England Under-15 basketball player Esther Little.
The rest of the nominees are listed below:
The Unison Unsung Hero Award:
Julie Ankers (Haverhill Rovers FC)
Andrew Kelly (Bury St Edmunds Hockey Club)
Tujan Sari (Samuel Ward Academy)
Tina Ellis (Haverhill Cricket Club)
Richard Ellis (Haverhill Cricket Club)
Kevin Woolcott (Haverhill Gymnastics Club)
Ann Williamson (Bury Bike Collective)
Allan Loveday (Thurlow Sports Club)
The Our Bury St Edmunds Business Improvement District Lifetime Achievement Award:
Ray Shanks (Haverhill Cricket Club)
Martin Cates (Bury Kings Tchoukball Club)
Tom Cole (West Suffolk Swimming Club)
Kevin Pullen (Haverhill Rugby Club)
Allan Loveday (Thurlow Sports Club)
The Greene King Triumph Over Adversity Award
Brian Cash (Bury St Edmunds Croquet Club)
Stephen Spencer (runner)
The Newmarket Motor Company Coach of the Year Award:
Ian Parker (Bury Kings Tchoukball Club)
Tracey Butcher (Jetts Netball Club)
Robert Jeffs (Haverhill Tennis Club)
Paula Cook (gym instructor)
Emma Ellis (Haverhill Cricket Club)
Richard Ellis (Haverhill Cricket Club)
Phil Ward (West Suffolk Swimming Club)
George Self (Haverhill Rugby Club)
Billy Beddow (basketball)
Jason Ryan (Suffolk Roller Derby)
Susan Ambrose (Bury Spectrum Gymnastics Club)
Mick Graham (athletics)
Ron Wallwork (athletics)
The Sodexo Community Volunteer of the Year Award
Mike Harman and Ian Parker (Bury Kings Tchoukball Club)
Mike Harman (Bury Kings Tchoukball Club)
Patrick O’Sullivan (Haverhill Cricket Club)
Phil Dingley (Haverhill Cricket Club)
Jill Briars (West Suffolk Swimming Club)
Allan Loveday (Thurlow Sports Club)
The Music Sales Club of the Year Award:
Bury Saints American Football Team
Bury St Edmunds Tchoukball Club
Haverhill Running Club
Jetts Netball Club
Haverhill Cricket Club
West Suffolk Swimming Club
Cockfield Netball Club
Bury Spectrum Gymnastic Club
Suffolk Roller Derby
St Edmundsbury Sailing and Canoeing Association
The Revels Outdoor Individual Performance/Achievement of the Year Award:
Daniel Pass (Haverhill Cricket Club)
Rhys Turnball- Bester (athletics)
Callum Wilkinson (athletics)
The Bury Town Football Club Most Active Workplace Award:
Llewellyn Smith
Cooperative Insurance
Cecil and Larter
Treatt
West Suffolk Hospital Pharmacy
Sanofi
Ashton KCJ
*Follow the winners on the night as they happen at www.buryfreepress.co.uk/sport/live-sport
