Top county disabled awards for Ollie and Meg

Kirkby Paralympic star Ollie Hynd MBE was this week named Nottinghamshire Disabled Sportsperson of the Year.
British Paralympic Association director of sport Penny Briscoe MBE, Ollie Hynd MBE and Nottinghamshire County Council Culture Committee chairman Coun John Knight. Picture by Jo Wheeler.British Paralympic Association director of sport Penny Briscoe MBE, Ollie Hynd MBE and Nottinghamshire County Council Culture Committee chairman Coun John Knight. Picture by Jo Wheeler.
British Paralympic Association director of sport Penny Briscoe MBE, Ollie Hynd MBE and Nottinghamshire County Council Culture Committee chairman Coun John Knight. Picture by Jo Wheeler.

A finalist last year, at last night’s 22nd annual Nottinghamshire Sports Awards he collected the award which older brother Sam won back in 2009 and Nova team mate Charlotte Henshaw, of Mansfield, won in 2010.

It capped a memorable 2013 in which he added the World Championships to his gold medal heroics in the swimming pool at London 2012.

Ollie, who is is supported by Nottinghamshire County Council’s Shining Stars fund and Mansfield District Council, said: “These awards are judged by people involved in sport across the county and I was delighted to be able to attend. 2013 was another successful year for me and I am now looking at concentrating on the Commonwealth Games.”

Tim Baillie, London 2012 medallist, Meg McFarlane, Junior Disabled Sportsperson of the Year, and Simon Wilson, Paralympic fencer. Picture by Jo Wheeler.Tim Baillie, London 2012 medallist, Meg McFarlane, Junior Disabled Sportsperson of the Year, and Simon Wilson, Paralympic fencer. Picture by Jo Wheeler.
Tim Baillie, London 2012 medallist, Meg McFarlane, Junior Disabled Sportsperson of the Year, and Simon Wilson, Paralympic fencer. Picture by Jo Wheeler.

Meg McFarlane, who skates at Sutton’s Lammas Leisure Centre and is to compete in the International Special Olympics for Team GB in Austria in May, won the Junior Disabled Sportsperson of the Year title.

It was the first time an individual from skating has won this category.

Nottinghamshire County Council and Sport Nottinghamshire had spent months seeking nominations for the awards, which are a celebration of grassroots and professional sports and were held at the East Midlands Conference Centre.

One of Britain’s brightest hopes for the forthcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi – Elise Christie – was named overall Nottinghamshire’s Sportsperson of the Year.

The British short-track skater, who is based in Nottingham, has just retained her European 1,000m title in her last competition before the Winter Olympics next month.

She won the world bronze over 1,000m last year and is considered a real medal hope at the forthcoming Games.

She accepted her award in a video address from Nottinghamshire County Council chairman John Allin.

Around 450 people were in attendance including Nottinghamshire County Council leader Coun Alan Rhodes and Culture Committee chairman Coun John Knight.

Notable guests from the world of sport included Paralympic star Richard Whitehead, who presented the Sporting Project award on the evening to Nottinghamshire Leadership Academy Network. Richard is currently starring in the ITV show Splash.

Also in attendance were Nottingham Forest footballer Simon Cox, Notts County FC manager, Shaun Derry, Stags player Ben Hutchinson, Olympic/Paralympic medallists Tim Baillie and Charlotte Henshaw, Penny Briscoe, MBE, and Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club’s Mick Newell director of cricket and player Samit Patel.

Young Coach of the Year Rio Henley (Gedling district) became the first winner from the sport of boccia in any of the three coaching categories and the club Rio coaches at based at the Joseph Whitaker School in Rainworth.

Performance Coach of the Year Tim Stevenson (Gedling district) has worked with a number of high profile athletes including Richard Whitehead, Charlotte Henshaw, Ollie Hynd, and Libby Clegg.

Other winners were: Team of the Year - Nottingham Panthers, Club of the Year - Collingham Tennis Club, Junior Sportsperson of the Year - Ellie Downie (Ashfield district), Junior Team of the Year - Rowan Law and Connor Gamble (Rushcliffe district), Sporting School of the Year – Rushcliffe School, Volunteer of the Year – Jane Dunbar (Broxtowe district), Junior Volunteer of the Year – Alex Newton (Rushcliffe district), Community Coach of the Year – Tom Hibberd (Beeston, Broxtowe district), Project of the Year – Nottinghamshire Leadership Academy Network, and Achievement of the Year – Beeston Hockey Club Men’s First Team and West Indian Cavaliers Cricket Club.

Roll of honour inductees: Keith Atkinson (Newark and Sherwood district, rowing), Peter Burton (Gedling district, football) and Alan Hunt (Broxtowe district, badminton).