Sporting stars shine at Medway Sports Awards
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Medway’s sporting stars took centre stage at the annual Medway Sports Awards.
Four Medway 2012 elite athletes were among the big winners announced at the ceremony at the University of Kent at Medway on Friday, 23 November.
Boxer Jordan Dennis and athlete Michael Baker were chosen as the Sporting Ambassadors for the coming year, taking over from last year’s ambassadors and fellow Medway 2012 elite athletes Victoria Loftus and Rachael Burford.
Brompton Boxing Club star Jordan has competed in 10 bouts and already holds four national titles. He has also captained England in several international matches.
Medway and Maidstone AC athlete Michael is ranked third on the UK all-time list at under 18 for the 400m hurdles. He captained the GB athletics team at the 2007 World Youth Championships in Ostrava and was also named the SPAR Star Outstanding Athlete of the Year.
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Rugby Union star Rachael Burford was named Sportsperson of the Year for the second year running ahead of GB cerebral palsy footballer Nick Lovell. Rachael, who has just been named England vice captain, was part of the England side that won the 2007 Six Nations Grand Slam and also captain the Sevens side in the European Championships. |
In arguably the most hotly-contested category of the evening, Jordan Dennis fought of the challenge of a host of young Medway internationals to be named Junior Sportsperson of the Year - Sporting Honours.
Other nominees included Michael Baker and fellow GB athlete Shaunagh Brown, England judo players Sam Malkinson and James Lewis, GB Modern Pentathlete James Myatt, England table tennis players Harry Lumb and Ross Wilson, dry slope skier Emily Evans and artistic roller-skater Vicky Kemp.
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Fellow Medway 2012 elite athlete swimmer Sara Parfett won the final Sportsperson of the Year award, picking up the junior effort and participation trophy. This year’s awards celebrated the people behind Medway sport, from officials, mentors, coaches and teachers to athletes and role models. The Lifetime Contribution to Sport award went to Kent ShotoKan Karate Club founder Glen Wright, who also picked up the trophy for Coach of the Year. The Unsung Hero award went to Colin Attwood from Medway Sub Aqua Club while the Junior Unsung Hero was Rik Houghton from Gillingham Jumpers, who is based at the Jumpers Rebound Centre. Ginny Bent was named Sports Teacher of the Year for her efforts to get children at Greenvale Infant School participating in sports clubs. |
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The final big awards were for the teams and clubs of the year. Tornados Korfball Club was named Club of the Year. Rainham Judo Club, which is responsible for the success of two of Medway 2012’s elite athletes, won Junior Club of the Year.
The Team of the Year was Medway and Maidstone Athletic Club’s senior men’s team from the winter season while the junior team of the year was the Real 60 Under 12 team.
The fourth annual Medway Sports Awards were organised by Medway Council’s Sports Development Team and sponsored by the University of Kent at Medway and the Kent Messenger Group.
The sporting stars who presented the awards were Kent cricketer Robbie Joseph, 1964 Olympic silver medallist in the 50km walk, Paul Nihill, Olympic trampolinist and Medway 2012 elite athlete Gary Smith, and Rachael Burford.
The individual awards were sponsored by the Kent Club Development Scheme; Medway Sports Development; Puretone Ltd; Royal Bank of Scotland; University of Kent at Medway; Medway Leisure; Greenacre School Sport Partnership; Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre; Xstream Ltd; Howard School Sport Partnership.
Full profiles of all the Medway 2012 elite athletes.