Celebrate your local sporting heroes as Olympic interest reaches fever pitch

Derbyshire Sport and the county’s local authorities are on the look-out for home grown starlets to enter the 2016 Derby Telegraph Sports Awards, which is being run in partnership with Champions (UK) Plc.

Brand new Olympic champion swimmer Adam Peaty, from the City of Derby Club, is an obvious nomination given his performance in winning 100m breaststroke gold in Rio.

But the awards are also a great opportunity to promote some of the many other worthy athletes, coaches, clubs and volunteers from around the county, at both elite and grass roots level.

“Winning a Sports Award is a great boost for anyone involved in local sport – it’s very rewarding for other people to recognise you have excelled and it’s a reminder of how many people make a valued contribution,” said athlete Niamh Emerson, last’s year’s Young Sportswoman of the Year and a bronze medal winner at the 2016 European Youth Championships.

“I like the fact that it’s not just athletes at the top of their sports that are rewarded, but the coaches, clubs and volunteers from across Derbyshire too.”

The Sports Awards are the perfect opportunity to highlight the vital role sport and physical activity plays in the lives of Derbyshire people.

Nominations will automatically be fed through to local district, borough and city awards, with winners at that level going through to contest the county awards.

Hayley Lever, director of Derbyshire Sport, added: “The Derby Telegraph Sports Awards are a fantastic opportunity to showcase our county’s sporting heroes and emerging talent.

“Local and county awards are all about recognising people with passion, commitment and dedication, who do so much for their communities.

“They also help to demonstrate the hard work that coaches and volunteers do to get people of all ages active and engaged in sport.”

There are 13 awards in total and the closing date for nominations is Friday September 9. Full details, along with how to nominate someone can be found at http://derbytelegraphsportsawards.co.uk/enter-awards.

Alternatively call Katie Crockett on 01773 571224 to obtain a paper copy of the nomination form.