LOCAL SPORTS STARS CELEBRATED AT AWARDS CEREMONY

Sporting men and women from Ballymoney and the surrounding area will be celebrated on Saturday at the Ballymoney Sports Advisory Committee’s Awards Ceremony in Ballymoney Town Hall.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Oct 2015, 08:00 BST
Sonia KnoxSonia Knox
Sonia Knox

With the introduction of the super council, this year’s awards will take a slightly different format to previous years as the winners from the four legacy councils will feed nominees into the main Causeway Coast and Glens Sports Awards event on November 7th.

With such a wealth of talent in the Ballymoney area, the judges had a tough time whittling down the nominees with some very stronger contenders in many of the 
 12 categories.

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In the running for Sportsman of the Year is Weightlifter Dessie Scott who is British Masters Champion, came second at the European Masters Championships and is also N.I Master Champion. Up against Dessie is boxer Michael Glendinning who is Ulster Senior Champion and also won the Best Boxer In the Ulster Finals. Road Racer William Dunlop is also a contender as the Irish road race champion in the Superbike and 600cc classes.

Loughgiel Shamrocks Senior CamogsLoughgiel Shamrocks Senior Camogs
Loughgiel Shamrocks Senior Camogs

Sonia Knox is one of the nominees for Sportswoman of the Year. Sonia is the European Duathlon Champion, the First Gold Medalist in the Titanic Triathlon, she came fifth in the Half Iron-man Triathlon and is also a Member of the Ireland Duathlon and Triathlon Squads. Joining Sonia in this category will be Camog Racquel McCarry. Rachel was part of the Ulster and Antrim Loughguile Senior Camogie Team Winners and was also voted as the Toughest Camogie Player in Ulster.

Vying for the title of Sports Team of the year will be Ballymoney Blaze Senior Volleyball Team, Causeway Senior Archers and Loughguile Senior Camogie team.

Other categories which will be decided on Saturday are the Merit Award, a Special award, Sports Administrator, Coach of the Year, Services to Sport, Junior Sports Team, Junior Sports Man and Junior Sports Woman and there will be a new category introduced - International Sports Man/Sports Woman.

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The annual awards ceremony is always a fantastic occasion in Ballymoney and this year will be no different. There are so many talented sporting stars in the area and this occasion will prove to be a fitting tribute to their achievments over the past year.