SPORTS AWARDS: Can Cello stop a world champion to land top prize?
That’s when all will be revealed in the 2017 Peterborough Telegraph Sports Awards.
The finalists in 11 different categories will be gathered together with guests and sponsors representing many other sports as the drama unfolds.
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Hide AdThe finalists are those that finished in the top three in the public voting, which took place for a month in December and January. And our readers have put some fantastic candidates in the frame.
The big Sports Personality of the Year prize sees our professional boxing champion Cello Renda - winner of the Southern Area super-middleweight crown in 2017 - pitched against world triathlon champion Georgina Jennings and the Peterborough Panthers trophy-winning speedway team manager Carl Johnson.
The Team of the Year final features two ladies teams - the World Masters winning eight from Peterborough City Rowing Club and the high-flying City of Peterborough Ladies hockey team - and they’re up against the all-conquering Under 12 football team from Yaxley FC.
Rowing is also represented in the new Disabled Achiever of the Year award final as the world number one para oarsman James Fox, who received an MBE for services to the sport in 2017, is challenged by top para swimmer Jack Andersen and Nene Valley Harriers athlete Brandon Ballard.
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Hide AdThe Footballer of the Year prize could be won by a female player for the second time running.
Cassie Steward from Peterborough Northern Star Ladies and Tash Applegate from Peterborough United Ladies are in the top three along with Yaxley FC’s Dan Cotton, who was the 2014 winner.
In Junior Footballer of the Year there are two lads from the Posh Academy up for the award. They are Charlie Bedford and Luca Christoudias and up against them is Lewis Arber, son of former Posh star Mark Arber who plays for the Team of the Year contenders Yaxley Under 12s.
World kick-boxing champion Rob Taylor, international hockey player Adam Drake and national triathlon champion Paul Lunn are the Sportsman of the Year finalists and in Sportswoman of the Year it’s GB international swimmer Rchael Wellings from COPS battling it out with European Tang Soo Do champion Sarah Chapman and world ranked BMX rider Leah Pearson.
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Hide AdRising athletics star Donovan Capes from Nene Valley Harriers, the grandson of shot-putt legend Geoff Capes, is a Junior Sportsman of the Year finalist with BMX rider Joseph Carey and swimmer Myles Robinson-Young while Elise Ward, Lorena Ismail (both martial arts) and Amelia Monaghan (swimming) make up the Junior Sportswoman of the Year final.
THE 2017 PETERBOROUGH TELEGRAPH SPORTS AWARDS FINALISTS
(listed in no particular order)
SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Chroma Sport
Cello Renda (boxing)
Carl Johnson (speedway)
Georgina Jennings (triathlon)
TEAM OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Sports Ground Development
Yaxley FC Under 12s
City of Peterborough Ladies Hockey
Peterborough Rowing Club Women’s Masters Eight
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Sycamore BMW
Adam Drake (hockey)
Rob Taylor (martial arts)
Paul Lunn (triathlon/cycling)
SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Moore Steel Developments
Sarah Chapman (martial arts)
Leah Pearson (BMX)
Rachel Wellings (swimming)
JUNIOR SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Krusada
Myles Robinson-Young (swimming)
Joseph Carey (BMX)
Donovan Capes (athletics)
JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by the Peterborough Telegraph
Amelia Monaghan (swimming)
Lorena Ismail (martial arts)
Elise Ward (martial arts)
FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Sandhills East
Cassie Steward
Tash Applegate
Dan Cotton
JUNIOR FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by the Peterborough Telegraph
Luca Christoudias
Charlie Bedford
Lewis Arber
COACH OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Coca-Cola
Michael Fox (football)
Ben Negus (swimming)
Darren Gibbons (football)
DISABLED ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by BGL
Brandon Ballard (athletics)
James Fox (rowing)
Jack Andersen (swimming)
UNSUNG HERO
Sponsored by The Peterborough Football & Sports Development Foundation
Jane Leigh (swimming)
Ian Pepper (football)
Tor Harris (martial arts)