Teignbridge Honours its Sports Personalities
Teignbridge sportspeople have celebrated the best and brightest in their fields at the Teignbridge Sports Personality Awards.
The gala event, which was held at the
Nikki Toms, Teignbridge Council's Sports Development Officer said:
"The awards were a great success, and honoured some of the most talented sportspeople in the district. Our winners should be extremely proud of their achievements, especially in a year with such strong competition.
"It was a pleasure for us to arrange the awards and we thank all of our local sportsmen and women for their hard work and dedication. I'd also like to thank our sponsors Gemini FM, ITV1 Westcountry, Unison and
Jai Geyer, Teignbridge Sports Personality of the Year said:
"Winning the Sports Personality of the Year award was absolutely brilliant, and I can't thank those who nominated me for it enough. I've heard stories about the success that previous winners have had; and I aim to live up to the high standards they have set. It will be a tough challenge to rise to, but I look forward to facing it with the same determination that helped me win the award.
Friday's ceremony was a great end to my season and it was exciting to see such a variety of talents and sports in Teignbridge. It's great to know that there are people out there who work very hard to give local sportspeople of all ages the recognition they deserve."
In addition to the returning categories, this year saw the inclusion of two special awards, which were created to honour the outstanding contribution of two local sportspeople.
The first was awarded to Katy Johns, aged 33, for her lifetime achievement in the field of gymnastics and her success at the Special Olympics. Katy is one of the foremost disabled gymnasts in the country, competing at the demanding Level 3 stage.
The second award went to Brad Corben for Excellence in Dance. At 16 years old, Brad has already won the national 'Billy Elliot' Award, and has been named as one of the top dancers in the country.
The evening was hosted by Carlton TV presenter Mark Tyler, with Gemini FM's Charlie Moseby also appearing on stage to act as auctioneer in the Charity Sports Auction. This year the auction was raising funds for The Helen Foundation, which supports the aspirations of young artists in Teignbridge by providing prizes, workshops and bursaries to budding talent. The foundation is a living memorial to Teignbridge resident Helen Kirk, who died at the age of 24 in a tragic road accident.
Charlie Moseby, Gemini FM presenter said:
"I was delighted to be asked back to host the charity sports auction this year; which raised £730 on the night for the Helen Foundation. The audience were extremely generous, and I'm very happy that we were able to raise money for charity while also recognising some of Teignbridge's top sporting talent. I'm already looking forward to next year's awards!"
ENDS