Rugby Heroes Line-out to Kick off 2011 Sports Awards
Rugby stars past and present joined forces to launch the 2011 Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards, sponsored by Linwoods and supported by Sport Northern Ireland. The awards programme honours Northern Ireland’s top sporting achievers in both the professional and amateur arena and the gala ceremony, which attracts many of our most famous and successful sporting faces, will take place on Monday 16th January 2012 at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, Belfast.
As sporting fans gear up for the Rugby World Cup final in New Zealand on 23rd October, legendary Ireland fly-halfs and past Sports Awards winners, Jack Kyle and David Humphreys jointly launched the 2011 Sports Awards with Ulster players Chris Henry, Jared Payne and Mike McCornish. Also lining out at the launch were Maeve McKeefry, Brand Manager at Linwoods, Dominic Walsh, Chairman of Sport NI and Belfast Telegraph Sports Editor, Steven Beacom.
Organisers are calling on the public, sports fans, clubs, schools, regional councils, governing bodies and sporting organisations to put forward a wide range of nominations which will be considered carefully by the four strong judging panel. Chaired by Steven Beacom the panel will also feature motorbike ace and former Sports Star of the Year Phillip McCallen, Rosemary Mawhinney representing the NI Sports Forum and Shaun Ogle Performance Director Sport NI.
Local food company Linwoods is once again backing the Sports Awards, Maeve McKeefrey, Brand Manager said:” At Linwoods we take great pride and pleasure in our ongoing association with the Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards, which link the company in an exciting style with the province’s finest sporting circles - the perfect way to promote our healthy-eating Superfoods products. The nominations stage always brings with it a great sense of anticipation as the judges await the flood of entries from all over the province. We look forward not only to finding out who has been making the biggest splash amongst our well-known and internationally applauded professionals, but also which up-and-coming sports stars are making waves from grassroots level.
“2011 has been a tough year of preparation for many in our sporting community and we look forward to recognising their commitment and talents through the Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards, sending them on their way to the 2012 Olympics with a ringing endorsement from local fans. We have a fine tradition of sporting achievement here in Northern Ireland – at every level - and we have an impressive sporting hall of fame, past and present. Linwoods looks forward to marking achievement in Northern Ireland with some of those fantastic sportsmen and women, brought together to celebrate sport under the banner of the Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards.”
Also jointly supporting the 2011 Awards programme for a second year is Sport Northern Ireland, which is helping to target and encourage sporting clubs and groups throughout Northern Ireland to put forward nominees.
Chairman of Sport Northern Ireland Dominic Walsh said: “Sport Northern Ireland is extremely proud to once again be supporting the Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards which recognise sporting achievement from grass roots to high performance. The Awards also recognise the invaluable work of volunteers in sport, and the personal dedication that exists behind every success story. The wealth of local sporting talent that exists in Northern Ireland is exceptional and Sport Northern Ireland is proud to play a role as this continues to grow from strength to strength.”
Last year’s awards winners included Portrush golfer Graeme McDowell who won the main Sports Star of the Year trophy, champion jockey and current BBC Sports Personality of the Year AP McCoy, the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Team, boxer Paddy Barnes, rugby player Bryn Cunningham, Banbridge Academy Boys’ Hockey Teams, athlete Sally Brown and footballer Craig Cathcart. Also honoured were inspirational rowing coach Bobby Platt, Commonwealth Games boxing coaches Michael Hawkins and Stephen Friel, middle distance runner Ciara Mageean and GAA team Tyrone Minors.
Encouraging everyone to put forward nominees representing both home grown grass roots sports as well our high profile sporting heroes Belfast Telegraph Sports Editor Steven Beacom said, “To date 2011 has surely surpassed our expectations with local sports men and women putting Northern Ireland firmly on the global sporting map. From Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke’s unforgettable wins in the USA and England to the success of rowers Peter and Richard Chambers and Alan Campbell. We have so many top achievers in both the amateur game and at a professional level. Our awards aim to honour all these players, teams, managers and of course our unsung heroes who so much excellent work behind the scenes. I’m looking forward to a great line up of nominations over the next two months.”
Category awards include Team and Player of the Year, Manager/Coach of the Year, Young Team and Young Player of the Year as well as the Hall of Fame trophy and the Local Heroes Award. Other categories are Sports Person of the Year with a Disability, Special Recognition Award, the George Best Breakthrough Award, the WJ ‘Paddy’ Patterson Award for services to sport and the overall Sports Star of the Year Award.
Nominations close on Wednesday 23rd November at 5pm and can be posted on line. A template can be downloaded from the website www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sportsawards2011 and a hard copy can be posted to Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards, C/O JPR, Sylvan House, 232-240 Belmont Road, Belfast BT4 2AW.
ends
Media contact: Rosemary Allister or Sarah Weir, JPR Tel 028 9076 0066 or mobile 07880 504928 or email rosemary.allister@jprni.com
Editors’ Notes:
1. Sports Star of the Year
2. Hall of Fame
3. Player of the Year
4. Young Player of the Year
5. Team of the Year
6. Young Team of the Year
7. Manager/Coach of the Year
8. Sports Person with a Disability
9. WJ ‘Paddy’ Patterson Award
10. George Best Breakthrough Award
11. Special Recognition Award
12. Local Heroes Award
Jack Kyle OBE was inducted into the Belfast Telegraph Hall of Fame in 1996 and David Humphreys MBE won the Player of the Year award in 2001.
