@HarlowCouncil: Active Harlow Sports Awards honours local sporting heroes

04 Oct @HarlowCouncil: Active Harlow Sports Awards honours local sporting heroes

Harlow’s sporting community gathered in the town’s Civic Centre last night (3 October 2016) to celebrate local sporting talent and recognise the contributions made by the people that make sport and physical activity happen in Harlow.

The Active Harlow Sports Awards 2016 were organised by Active Harlow and were supported by Harlow Council and funded and supported by Active Essex.  Over 60 nominations were received and the standard of nominations really demonstrated the contributions that many volunteers put into the Harlow Community in order to provide positive opportunities for people to participate in sport and physical activity.

The award ceremony was led by the Chair of Harlow Council, Councillor Edna Stevens, and the awards were presented by international footballer Casey Stoney MBE. Casey plays football for Arsenal Ladies and has over 100 caps for England. She played for England in last year’s World Cup and has also been England captain and captained the Team GB Ladies Football Team during the 2012 Olympic Games.

Essex TV and Your Harlow filmed sections of the event and the Harlow This Girl Can Essex Ambassadors were also in attendance to mark the start of Women In Sport Week.

Councillor Edna Stevens, Chair of Harlow Council, said:

“Harlow has produced a wealth of sporting talent from Olympic and Paralympic athletes to professional footballers and world record holders. Tonight we celebrated the current crop of sporting talent and recognised the often unpaid yet dedicated hardwork that goes into making sport and physical activity happen in Harlow.  There are some fantastic individuals that are going over and above in their endeavours to provide quality opportunities for the residents of Harlow to participate in sporting opportunities.”

Casey Stoney said:

“It was a pleasure to be guest speaker at the Sports Awards. It’s important to support grassroots sport where possible, and having lived in Harlow I jumped at the chance to attend this event. It’s really uplifting to meet so many local sporting heroes and heroines and to hear all of the successes and dedication put into sport by the many volunteers that work hard in Harlow. Having played at an international and national level I know how it important it is to have access to high-quality facilities and dedicated coaches to help you reach and fulfil your potential. Harlow has a great range of sports facilities and thriving community club scene. The town’s past and present sporting achievements and its future potential is a real success story for Harlow.”

A full list of the finalists, winners and runners-up is below:

Unsung Hero

Finalists:

• Alan Brooking, Harlow Rugby Club (winner).
• Catherine Penketh, Harlow junior parkrun (runner-up).
• Colin Mortimer, Harlow Rugby Club.
• Patricia O’Mara, netball.

Young Volunteer of the Year

• Saul Lintonbon-Baker, Harlow Junior parkrun, Hub + Spoke, Tri-sport Epping.

Changing lives through sport through an outstanding project

Finalists:

• Paringdon Community Leisure, Walking Football and Doorstep Sports Club.
• Harlow parkrun (runner-up).
• Andy Smith, Mark Hall Sports Centre.
• Hub + Spoke, Cycling development (winner).
• Catherine Penketh, Harlow junior parkrun.

Community Club of the Year

Finalists:

• Illuminate Allstars, Cheerleading (runner-up).
• Kazen Kai Martial Arts.
• Rouge Returns FC (winner).
• Griffin Bowls Club.

Coach of the Year

Finalists:

• David Stacey, Church Langley Community Primary School (winner).
• Ryan Lambert, Kazen Kai Martial Arts.
• John Stow, Athletics.
• Christine Street, Netball (runner-up).
• Martin Stringer, Harlow Penguins, Swimming.

School, College or University of the Year

Finalists:

• Church Langley Community Primary School (winner).
• Charles Kao UTC (runner-up).

Young Sports Personality of the Year

Finalists:

• Canaan Solomon, Athletics (runner-up).
• Lewis Harknett, Athletics.
• Bethany Harryman, Athletics. (winner).
• Daniel McKenzie, Cycling.
• Maxwell Chinn, Athletics.
• Kai Boggon, Triathlon.

Inspirational Nominee of the year

• Daniel McKenzie, Cycling.

Disabled Sports Personality of the Year

• Richard Chiassaro, Wheelchair Athlete.

Sports Personality of the Year

Finalists:

• Ryan Lambert, Kazen Kai Martial Arts (winner).
• Steven Mitchinson, Bowls (runner-up).

The best nominations will now be forwarded to the Active Essex Sports Awards (www.activeessex.org/sports-awards). The closing date for the Active Essex Sports Awards in Sunday 16 October 2016.