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Derbyshire table tennis star Liam Pitchford named University of Derby Sportsperson of the Year

14 November 2011

Liam competed at his first Commonwealth Games in India last October, winning a bronze in the doubles with partner Andrew Baggaley and a silver medal in the team event – with Liam defeating the world No.17 to give England a vital start.

He also won a silver medal in the doubles at the English National Championships and a bronze medal in the team event at the European Youth Championships in July, and made headlines again a few weeks ago when he competed at the European Championships in Poland, where he beat five players ranked in the top 100 in the world, including the Belarusian Vladmir Samsonov ranked world No.9.

18-year-old Liam, from Chesterfield, was announced as the winner of the University of Derby Sportsperson of the Year title during a ceremony at The Roundhouse in Derby, which was attended by 300 people.

Professor John Coyne, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Derby, presented the trophy to Liam’s sister, Laura Pitchford, as Liam is currently in Bahrain competing at the World Junior Championships.
 
Runner-ups in the University of Derby Sportsperson of the Year category were cross country mountain bike racer Annie Last, from Great Longstone, who won a silver medal at the European Championships earlier this year and achieved her first top ten placing in a World Cup elite race, and jet ski racer Anya Colley, from Long Eaton, who secured the IJSBA European Ladies Title at the final round of the European Championships in Belgium, and also won the British Ski Stock Class and the British Ski Limited Class.

The evening saw trophies awarded in 12 categories, as the county’s best and brightest sporting stars, coaches and volunteers gathered with other invited guests to celebrate another year of sporting success in Derbyshire and recognise the efforts of those involved in sport at grassroots level.

Olympic mascot ‘Wenlock’ made a guest appearance at the awards, and guests also enjoyed a performance by Derbyshire Tenor Thomas Spencer-Wortley and an exhibition of ceramic flower installations by London 2012 Cultural Olympiad artist Paul Cummins.

This year’s University of Derby Disabled Sportsperson of the Year winner was Great Britain wheelchair basketball player Maddie Thompson, from Hope, who won gold at the Paralympic World Cup with the GB women’s team in May.

Maddie was also part of the teams which won bronze at the U25 Womens World Championships and the European Championships.

Runner-up in the University of Derby Disabled Sportsperson of the Year category was Jon Hall, from Clowne, who was a member of the Great Britain Men’s wheelchair basketball team which won bronze at the Paralympic World Cup and gold at the European Championships.

Young Derby County Football Club star Mason Bennett was the winner in the International Golf Development Junior Sportsman of the Year category.

Mason, from Langwith, made his senior debut for Derby County FC reserves aged 14 and became the youngest ever player to play for Derby’s first team when he was named in the starting line-up in a 2 – 0 defeat against Middlesbrough aged just 15 years and 99 days. Mason has also played for the England U17 and U16 teams.

Meanwhile Derventio eXcel swimming star Molly Renshaw was named the Derby City Council Junior Sportswoman of the Year. 15-year-old Molly competed for the GB senior team at the World Championships, and won bronze for GB at the European Junior Championships.

Other awards presented on the night included the Derby Telegraph Service to Sport Award, which was presented to Daryl Hone, from the Colin Deaton Table Tennis Club in Chesterfield.

There was another win for table tennis as Phil Vickers, from Draycott and Long Eaton Table Tennis Club, was named the Derby College Coach of the Year. The Origination Junior Disabled Sportsperson of the Year award went to Ellie Bamber, a swimmer from High Peak Sharks Swimming Club, and Shirebrook Rangers FC was named the Cooper Parry Club of the Year.

Meanwhile Netherthorpe School pupil Laurisa Robson, from Bolsover, was named the Derbyshire County Council Young Sports Leader/Young Coach of the Year.

Three new awards were also presented, recognising local businesses which are encouraging their staff to be more active, or which have sponsored a sporting project which has resulted in a positive outcome.

Joint winners of the Active Derbyshire Active Workplace Award were Cooper Parry and the University of Derby.

Cooper Parry’s wellbeing programme includes walking groups, a pedometer challenge and team sports, and has led to reduced absenteeism in the workplace. The University of Derby has increased staff participation in on-campus sport such as football, netball and badminton.

The Derbyshire 2012 Sport Sponsorship Award (£1,000 and under) was won by Betfair Ltd for its support of Chesterfield and District Athletics Club via the Cash 4 Clubs scheme which provides funds to help club coaches gain further qualifications and to train new coaches.

The Derbyshire 2012 Sport Sponsorship Award (£1,000+) was presented to Derbyshire Building Society in recognition of its support for Sporting Futures, having been the title sponsor of the charity’s annual 10k race in Derby since 2003. The event has grown steadily from 800 to 3,500 entrants, with the Derbyshire Building Society giving substantial financial and in-kind support to ensure a quality community event.

A full list of winners and runners-up is below. Further details can be seen at www.derbyshiresport.co.uk/sports_awards (opens in a new window)

The awards are organised by Derbyshire Sport, a county sports partnership which provides the strategic lead for sport in Derbyshire.

Cllr Carol Hart, Chair of Derbyshire Sport, said: “There is some tremendous sporting talent in Derbyshire as well as a wealth of dedicated coaches and volunteers and some fantastic clubs in the county, and it is great to be able to recognise the dedication these people show and the contribution that they make.

“My congratulations go to each of the winners and all the finalists and I wish them many more years of sporting success.

“It was wonderful to see so many people join us at The Roundhouse to celebrate all that is great about sport in Derbyshire.”

The University of Derby was the title sponsor of the event, and other sponsors include the Derby Telegraph, Derby City Council, Origination, Derbyshire 2012, Derbyshire County Council, Cooper Parry, International Golf Development, Active Derbyshire and Derby College.

The winners of the 2011 Derbyshire Sports Awards are:

University of Derby Sportsperson of the Year
Winner: Liam Pitchford (Chesterfield/NE Derbyshire – Table Tennis)
Runners-up: Anya Colley (Erewash – Jet-Skiing)
       Annie Last (Derbyshire Dales – Cross Country Mountain Biking)

University of Derby Disabled Sportsperson of the Year
Winner: Maddie Thompson (High Peak - Wheelchair Basketball)
Runner-up: Jon Hall (Bolsover - Wheelchair Basketball)

International Golf Development Junior Sportsman of the Year
Winner: Mason Bennett (Bolsover – Football)
Runner-up: Jack Griffiths (Bolsover – Kickboxing) 
 
Derby City Council Junior Sportswoman of the Year
Winner: Molly Renshaw (Amber Valley – Swimming)
Runner-up: Hannah Jones (Amber Valley – Snooker)

Origination Junior Disabled Sportsperson of the Year
Winner: Ellie Bamber (High Peak – Swimming and boccia)
Runner-up: Robert Abraham (Erewash – Swimming and athletics)

Cooper Parry Club of the Year
Winner: Shirebrook Rangers FC (Bolsover – Football)
Runner-up: Merlin ABC (Derby – Boxing)

Derby College Coach of the Year
Winner: Phil Vickers (Erewash – Table Tennis)
Runners-up: Kevin Brown (South Derbyshire – Rugby)
       Dave Cartawick (Chesterfield/NE Derbyshire – Kickboxing)

Derbyshire County Council Young Sports Leader/Young Coach of the Year
Winner: Laurisa Robson (Bolsover – Football)
Runner-up: Poppy Marriott (Chesterfield/NE Derbyshire – Various Sports)

Derby Telegraph Service to Sport Award
Winner: Daryl Hone (Chesterfield/NE Derbyshire – Table Tennis)
Runner-up: Gillian Lockwood (Derbyshire Dales – Various Sports)

Derbyshire 2012 Sport Sponsorship Award (£1,000 and under)
Winner: Betfair Ltd – Supporting Chesterfield Athletic Club

Derbyshire 2012 Sport Sponsorship Award (£1,000+)
Winner: Derbyshire Building Society
Runner-up: Burton and South Derbyshire College

Active Derbyshire Active Workplace Award
Winners: Cooper Parry
  University of Derby
Runner-up: South Derbyshire District Council