Grass Roots Sport Celebrated Alongside London 2012 Stars
6th September 2013London 2012 medallists David Weir, Christine Ohuruogu and Joanna Rowsell will attend a glittering awards ceremony celebrating London sport at all levels at BAFTA in the West End on Tuesday 10 September.
Volunteers and participants at grass toots will be recognised alongside some of the UK’s greatest athletes at the Balfour Beatty London Youth Games and Annual Awards, which takes place one year and one day since the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games, marking the end of London 2012.
It is the fifth occasion the awards have taken place, which will be hosted by three-times Olympic javelin medallist Steve Backley. Previous years have seen sporting greats such as Weir, Mo Farah and Bradley Wiggins all officially inducted into the Hall of Fame as former participants in the London Youth Games.
The evening also celebrates the success of each year’s London Youth Games, where record numbers of participants exceeding last year’s 104,000 are expected to be revealed. Volunteers, coaches and competitors from fourteen London boroughs have been shortlisted for awards. Five world-class athletes will also be inducted into the Hall of Fame on the evening.
Among an expected crowd of around 250 on the evening will be senior London and UK politicians, stars of London sport, representatives of London boroughs and representatives of sporting governing bodies.
London Youth Games Chairman Anthony Kendall said: “Congratulations to all those who have been shortlisted for this year’s Balfour Beatty London Youth Games Hall of Fame and Annual Awards.
“It was so important that we seized upon the momentum of London 2012 to help create a meaningful sporting legacy. Thanks to all those thousands of Londoners who have contributed as volunteers, teachers, competitors, parents, coaches and team managers we have lots to celebrate on another record-breaking year for the London Youth Games.”
The Balfour Beatty London Youth Games is Europe’s largest annual youth sports event, featuring teams from 33 London boroughs taking part in 85 competitions across 33 sports on 27 event days. Wandsworth collected the Jubilee Trophy as the overall winning borough in 2013.
AWARDS AND NOMINEES
JUBILEE CUP
Awarded annually to an individual or group who have made the greatest overall contribution to the London Youth Games during the year.
Outright winner will be announced on the night
RICK GRICE SPIRIT OF THE GAMES AWARD
Awarded to a team or individual (aged under 25) who best capture the positive nature of the London Youth Games during the year.
NOMINEES
Paige Bradley
A real team player who has helped Bromley win the Girls’ Disability Football on three of the four occasions she has played. Noted for her unselfishness, she now plays for Millwall. She also coaches the under 10 boys team in the community.
Hillingdon Archery Juniors
A well-established club that is not yet five years old. Launched by Simeon Keenan off the back of being inspired by the London Youth Games, a sizeable membership of junior archers has now developed. This year they won the Middlesex Indoor Championships. Since the club has formed they have regularly placed in the top 10 at the London Youth Games.
Kyle Powell (Hounslow)
Already a GB international, he demonstrated huge pride in his community by putting his name forward to represent Hounslow at the London Youth Games. He is the first and only member of his borough to compete at the disability athletics competition. At the finals, he was the outstanding competitor of the day winning the 100m and 200m in record times in an ambulant class.
TEAM MANAGER/COACH OF THE YEAR
Awarded to a Coach or Team Manager from a London borough who is deemed to have made the greatest contribution to their team’s success in 2013.
NOMINEES
Hester Goodsell (Rowing - Islington)
Winner of four World Championship medals who just missed out on Olympic selection and went back to being a music teacher. At Highbury Grove School she started coaching rowing, putting together for the first ever rowing team to represent Islington at the London Youth Games.
Bob Jaffe (Squash - Southwark)
The heartbeat of youth squash in Southwark. He has been involved with the borough’s London Youth Games team since 1995, working out of Dulwich Sports Club. He has worked particularly hard on developing female participation through school taster sessions, leading to the recruitment of girls as new members. Led the boys team to fifth overall at the 2013 London Youth Games.
Charlie McNamama (Netball – Haringey)
21 year old coach who has progressed from representing the borough as a competitor in weightlifting and netball to Team Manager. She guided the team to 7th in 2012 and 2nd in 2013, the highest ever for a Haringey team. She has also developed a coaching programme at Primary School level and is a qualified referee.
GAMESFORCE VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR (age 16-25)
Awarded to the individual from GamesForce, the London Youth Games’ young volunteer arm deemed to have made the greatest voluntary contribution in 2013
NOMINEES
Asad Ali (Redbridge)
16 year old Mayfield School student who first trained as a sports leader two years ago. From being a quite reserved individual, he has matured into an excellent leader who has helped deliver School Games level 1 & 2 events in Redbridge. He was a completed his Junior Team Leader with London Youth Games at finals weekend where he worked three days beyond what was expected.
Lizzie Howard (Bexley)
17 year old hockey player who has turned to coaching. She volunteered every Thursday night for 12 consecutive weeks to help prepare Bexley’s boys and girls’ hockey teams. She continued her assistance right through the qualifiers through to the finals, where the boys’ team placed fourth overall. She has been earmarked as a future Team Manager.
Chigo Orunuta (Orpington, Bromley)
21 year old who began volunteering with London Youth Games GamesForce programme since 2010. She has been a volunteer team leader in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Showing extra-ordinary maturity, she has managed over 100 volunteers during her time with the London Youth Games. This year she volunteers at nine events for London Youth Games and took extra responsibility, overseeing the Junior Team Leader programme.
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR (age 25+)
Awarded to an individual aged over 25 who is deemed to have made the greatest voluntary contribution to the 2012 Balfour Beatty London Youth Games.
NOMINEES
Marina Harden (Islington)
Former Prison Officer,43, who was inspired to become more involved in volunteering after working as a GamesMaker at the beach volleyball at London 2012. She worked closely with London Youth Games in results and registration at the Thames Water Regatta and for five days at finals week. She has also volunteered at London Triathlon.
Mick Murphy (Greenwich)
Judo Team Manager of the London Youth Games since it launched in 1977; the first five years for Southwark and thereafter for Greenwich. He is the founder member of Metro Judo Club and has coached hundreds of young people and worked tirelessly behind the scenes in organising the club. As a coach, he has brought through some of GB’s greatest judokas, including Olympic silver medallist and London Youth Games patron Gemma Gibbons, whom he gave away at her wedding this year.
Eddie Whiston (Croydon)
First started volunteering at the 2012 School Games at Olympic Park which has opened up more opportunities as a volunteer at the London Youth Games. Now 74, he has been a key member of the media team this year as photographer. Always early for shifts, he has covered more than 50% of events during the 2013 London Youth Games season.
BALFOUR BEATTY VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Awarded to the Balfour Beatty employee who has made the greatest voluntary contribution to the 2012 Balfour Beatty London Youth Games
NOMINEES
Pam & Phil Hobson (Balfour Beatty Construction Services UK)
Husband and wife team who have volunteered for several seasons at disability athletics, cycling and triathlon. As ambassadors, they have helped to raise awareness of the London Youth Games back in the midlands region they work in and have recruited many others to get involved.
Philippa Rose (Balfour Beatty Group Head Office)
She proactively promoted and coordinated a team of ten from the Group Head Office to volunteer a full day at the Disability Athletics event in june. During the event itself, she shone in her commitment, accuracy and energy in officiating the long jump.
Becky Hall (Balfour Beatty Group Head Office)
Volunteered at the primary school swimming competition, where she helped marshal competitors ahead of their races. She has also been involved in promoting the Balfour Beatty London Youth Games through social media, internet and intranet across the company.
COMMUNITY PARTNER IN ASSOCIATION WITH SPORT ENGLAND
Awarded to the group or organisation that has worked most effectively with the London Youth Games in 2013 to help meet its core objectives.
NOMINEES
London Youth Rowing (Rowing and Indoor Rowing – London-wide)
Continual development of rowing and indoor rowing throughout London working closely with boroughs to develop training, officiating, competition opportunities and clubs. Four years ago, nine boroughs took to the water to compete at the London Youth Games rowing regatta. Now there are sixteen borough teams competing on the water.
Spartans Basketball Club (Redbridge)
Spartans Basketball Club have been a driving force for the development of the sport in Redbridge, regularly running free taster sessions in primary schools and at borough festivals. Club Chairman Paul McKenzie has voluntarily run Redbridge Mini Games 3v3 basketball for five years. They also provide the borough teams for London Youth Games, hosting open trials every year.
Stars for the Future Weightlifting Club (Ealing/Hillingdon)
Ealing and Hillingdon were tied for first place in the weightlifting competition at this year’s London Youth Games. But one club was behind the success. Stars for the Future Weightlifting Club covers all West London and is headed up by Kazem Panjavi as Team Manager and Coach who have developed a hub of talent for the sport.
BALFOUR BEATTY BREAKTHROUGH AWARD
Dina Asher-Smith (Bromley)
In 2009, she won 200m gold at the London Youth Games. This year, the 17 year old won 200m and 4x100m gold at the European Junior Championships and 4x100m bronze at the World Championships in Moscow.
Amy Marren (Havering)
Gold medallist in the disability swimming at the 2010 and 2011 London Youth Games, she represented GB at the 2012 Paralympic Games. In 2013 she turned 15 at the IPC World Swimming Championships in Montreal where she was the team’s outstanding performer, winning six medals including four gold.
Kyle Powell (Hounslow)
Represented GB at British Indoor International in Glasgow and recorded a 100m personal best of 11.59 in the T45 class. The 17 year old is a prospect for the 2016 Rio Paralympics.