Sporting Heroes Revealed at Charnwood Sports Awards 2011

GOLFING sensation Melissa Reid has scooped the Senior Sportsperson of the Year gong at the prestigious Charnwood Sports Awards.

Mel, 24, landed the top award at the Charnwood Borough Council-run event after winning two tournaments and finishing in the top ten on seven occasions on the Ladies European Golf Tour.

Her crowning glory was representing Europe in the prestigious Solheim Cup where she helped the continent beat the USA in front of millions of golf fans around the world.

She was also selected to represent England in the Euro Nations Cup where she finished second and played alongside the legendary Laura Davies.

Melissa was among 35 shortlisted candidates out of 80 applicants for the prestigious awards which recognise the commitment and achievements of the Borough’s sportsmen and women at a ceremony at Loughborough Town Hall on Monday, December 5.

Councillor David Snartt, Charnwood Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “Congratulations to all of our worthy winners and brilliant shortlisted candidates.

”Everyone who was nominated for an award thoroughly deserved the recognition they received at our awards ceremony which yet again showcased the extraordinary wealth of sporting talent we boast in Charnwood.”

Other winners included the De Lisle KS4 Girls Badminton team who won the Junior Team of the Year Award after finishing 3rd in the national championships.

Tae Kwon-Do competitor Olivia Burzio, 13, won Junior Disabled Sportsperson of the Year after becoming English Champion for Sparring despite being profoundly deaf and only competing in the sport for three years.

Swimmer Megan Morrison won the Junior Sportsperson of the Year Award after breaking nine club records, finishing second in the Midlands Championships and winning silver in the national championships in the 200m breaststroke and bronze in the 100m breaststroke.

Netball was also a big winner on the night with Lynn Moore winning Volunteer of the Year for dedicating her time to the Charnwood Sapphires Netball Club, which also won the Club of the Year Award, and Sue Jones winning the Outstanding Contribution to Sport Award for being a driving force behind the successful Loughborough Town Netball League.

The awards ceremony was kicked off with a performance by Loughborough Students’ Union Gospel Choir.

They were followed on stage by Loughborough’s Olympic legend Tommy Godwin, 91, who won two bronze medals in the 1948 Games in London. He showed off the original 1948 Olympic torch and his medals to bring some Olympic history to the awards.

Awards were then presented by English netball stars Jo Harten and Jade Clarke, who were part of the team which won the recent World Series in Liverpool, and British cross-country runner Gemma Steel.

The event was organised by Charnwood Borough Council and sponsored by Fusion Lifestyle, the Council’s Leisure Centres partner and Zoggs Swimwear.

Thanks were also made to Party Time who provided the room decoration for the evening and to the Charnwood Sport and Active Recreation Alliance for their contribution to the Awards evening.

The full list of winners:

• Junior Sportsperson of the Year: Megan Morrison (swimming)
• Junior Volunteer of the Year: Imogen Clements (netball)
• Junior Disabled Sportsperson of the Year: Olivia Burzio (tae kwon-do)
• Junior Team of the Year: De Lisle Girls KS4 Badminton Team (badminton)
• Senior Sportsperson of the Year (Elite): Melissa Reid (golf)
• Volunteer of the Year: Lynn Moore (netball)
• Disabled Sportsperson of the Year: Daniel Greaves (athletics) and Libby Clegg (athletics)
• Senior Team of the Year: Loughborough Rugby Club 1st Team
• Coach of the Year: Shaun Norman (boxing)
• Club of the Year: Charnwood Sapphires Netball
• Contribution to School Sport: Carol Moralee
• Outstanding Contribution to Physical Activity: Alan Maddocks (running) and Anna Chalkley & the British Heart Foundation National Centre (physical activity)
• Outstanding Contribution to Sport: Sue Jones (netball)