SPORTS AWARDS: COPS could be making a big awards splash

City of Peterborough Swimming Club (COPS) are set to make a big splash at the 2017 Peterborough Telegraph Sports Awards presentation dinner next month.
COPS British Championship squad - many of whom are up for an award.COPS British Championship squad - many of whom are up for an award.
COPS British Championship squad - many of whom are up for an award.

It takes place at the Holiday Inn on Friday February 2 and those who finished in the top three in the voting in each category will be there as the drama unfolds and the winners are announced.

And COPS will have finalists in no less than six of the 11 categories.

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The club had an outstanding 2017 and that was reflected in the voting.

Yaxley Under 12s are in the running for Team of the Year.Yaxley Under 12s are in the running for Team of the Year.
Yaxley Under 12s are in the running for Team of the Year.

Waiting to see if they’ve won will be Rachel Wellings in Sportswoman of the Year, Amelia Monaghan in Junior Sportswoman of the Year, Myles Robinson-Young in Junior Sportsman of the Year, Ben Negus in Coach of the Year, Jack Andersen in Disabled Achiever of the Year and Jane Leigh in Unsung Hero.

And COPS only just missed out on the top three in Team of the Year and Sportsman of the Year (Jamie Scholes) as well.

Those that did make it through to the top three in Team of the Year are from hockey, rowing and junior football.

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The City of Peterborough Ladies hockey team picked up a stack of votes on the back of a second successive promotion in 2017 which saw them reach the East League Premier Division for the first time in the club’s history.

Peterborough Ciry Rowing Club's World Championship winning Masters eight.Peterborough Ciry Rowing Club's World Championship winning Masters eight.
Peterborough Ciry Rowing Club's World Championship winning Masters eight.

And it’s also a ladies team flying the flag for Peterborough City Rowing Club. That is the coxed eight of Sarah Sheldrick, Kate Read, Emma Richardson, Hayley Marsters, Anita Carter, Gemma Singleton, Gail Parker, Tina Allen and cox Hannah Parker who rowed to victory in the World Masters Championships in Slovenia.

Completing the Team of the Year final line-up are Yaxley FC Under 12s, who achieved a Junior Alliance League and cup double last year, winning the League Cup for the third time in a row.

Up for the big Sports Personality of the Year prize are boxing champion Cello Renda, Peterborough Panthers speedway team manager Carl Johnson and 73 year-old world triathlon champion Georgina Jennings.

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Popular Peterborough puncher Renda won the Southern Area super-middleweight title in 2017, beating former Posh striker Leon McKenzie in a brutal punch-up which was a contender for Fight of the Year.

Sportsman of the Year finalist Rob Taylor.Sportsman of the Year finalist Rob Taylor.
Sportsman of the Year finalist Rob Taylor.

Johnson guided Panthers to a trophy double in the SGB Chanpionship - the Fours and League Cup, while Jennings swept the board in her age group in 2017 by winning the British, European and world crowns.

The 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.

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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.

Junior Sportswoman of the Year finalist Elise Ward.Junior Sportswoman of the Year finalist Elise Ward.
Junior Sportswoman of the Year finalist Elise Ward.

The Posh Academy also have a nominee in the Coach of the Year final in the shape of Michael Fox. His final rivals are Negus (COPS) and Darren Gibbons, a previous winner from the thriving Club GK goalkeeping school.

Joining Andersen (COPS) in the Disabled Achiever final are World para rowing champion James Fox and Nene Valley Harriers athlete Brandon Ballard.

And joining COPS official Leigh in the Unsung Hero final are long-serving Werrington Athletic Junior Football Club secretary Ian Pepper and Tor Harris, a valuable backroom worker from the highly successful Peterborough BCKA kick-boxing club.

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Rob Taylor, Adam Drake and Paul Lunn are the three who made the frame in Sportsman of the Year.

Taylor is a world kick-boxing champion, Drake plays international Masters hockey and Lunn is a national triathlon champion.

In Sportswoman of the Year it’s GB international Wellings from COPS battling it out with European Tang Soo Do champion Sarah Chapman and world ranked BMX rider Leah Pearson.

Sports Personality of the Year contender Cello Renda.Sports Personality of the Year contender Cello Renda.
Sports Personality of the Year contender Cello Renda.

Rising athletics star Donovan Capes from Nene Valley Harriers, the grandson of shot-putt legend Geoff Capes, and Joseph Carey, another outstanding Peterborough BMX rider, are the other two to make the Junior Sportsman of the Year final alongside British champion Robinson-Young from COPS.

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And it was martial arts champions Elise Ward and Lorena Ismail who finished in the top three in the Junior Sportswoman of the Year category with British champion Monaghan from COPS.

WHERE ALL THE VOTES WENT IN THE 2017 PETERBOROUGH TELEGRAPH SPORTS AWARDS

SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Chroma Sport

Top Three (in no particular order): Cello Renda, Carl Johnson, Georgina Jennings.

Near-misses: Ged Rathbone , James Ferrara , Nicky Brett.

Others to receive votes: Paul Bastock, Clifton Findley, Martin Adams, Rachel Wellings, Paul Lunn.

TEAM OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Sports Ground Development

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Top Three (in no particular order): Yaxley FC Under 12s, City of Peterborough Ladies Hockey, Peterborough Rowing Club Women’s Masters Eight.

Near-misses: City of Peterborough Swimming Club (COPS), Yaxley FC.

Others to receive votes: Northern Star FC Ladies, Northern Star FC Under 16s, Borough Rugby Club Girls Under 13s , Nene Valley Harriers, Hicks Karate, Peterborough BCKA, Peterborough Panthers, Peterborough Sports FC, Deeping Rangers FC Under 16s, Peterborough Rugby Club, Peterborough Triathlon Club (PACTRAC).

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Sycamore BMW

Top three (in no particular order): Adam Drake, Rob Taylor, Paul Lunn.

Near-misses: Jamie Scholes, Aaron Scott, Ulrich Ostergaard.

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Others to receive votes: Cello Renda, Stuart Brown, Leon Gold, Jonathan Oakey, Nicky Brett, Chris Harris, Kyle Findley, Simon Lambert.

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Moore Steel Developments

Top three (in no particular order): Sarah Chapman, Leah Pearson, Rachel Wellings.

Near-misses: Jaden Harris, Georgina Jennings.

Others to receive votes: Charlotte Taylor, Atlanta Hickman, Lindsay Clarke, Andrea Jenkins, Jeorgia Carr, Alex Banham, Gemma Carter, Camilla Plumb, Claire Steels.

JUNIOR SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Krusada

Top three (in no particular order): Myles Robinson-Young, Joseph Carey, Donovan Capes.

Near-miss: Eddy Paddock.

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Others to receive votes: Gabriel Howlett, Jake Jarman, Liam Arnett, Aaron Leonard, Jacob Williams, Imraan Shirazi, Lewis Davey, Robin Tiger Williams, Bobby Moore, Micky Simpson, Jonathan Oakey.

JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by the Peterborough Telegraph

Top three (in no particular order): Amelia Monaghan, Lorena Ismail, Elise Ward.

Near-misses: Jorja Matchwick, Elizabeth Taylor, Kelsey Lock.

Others to receive votes: Chloe Brett, Elizabeth Carter, Katie Simnett, Isobel Spinley, Katie Tasker.

FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Sandhills East

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Top three (in no particular order): Cassie Steward, Tash Applegate, Dan Cotton.

Near-misses: Jessica Driscoll, Avelino Vieira .

Others to receive votes: Mark Jones, Marcus Maddison, Dan Lawlor, Jack Marriott, Oliver Maltby.

JUNIOR FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by the Peterborough Telegraph

Top three (in no particular order): Luca Christoudias, Charlie Bedford, Lewis Arber.

Near-misses: Bradley Gilbert, Louis Rodriguez, Jacob Harte.

Others to receive votes: Wayne Cort, Ethan Young, Luke Rymill , George Frost, Iona Kemball, Francis Buckle, Lia Cataldo, Harrison Burrows , James Pam.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Coca-Cola

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Top three (in no particular order): Michael Fox, Ben Negus, Darren Gibbons.

Near-miss: Russ Prosser.

Others to receive votes:Seb Hayes, Mark Bowering, Tim Needham, Paul Larkins, Andy Whitwell, Andrew Hicks, Samantha Fielding, Jimmy Dean, Carl Johnson, Lee Adamson.

DISABLED ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by BGL

Top three (in no particular order): Brandon Ballard, James Fox, Jack Andersen.

Others to receive votes: Karim Chan, Calum Titmus, Lauren Steadman, Mick Robertson, Jaxon Simmons.

UNSUNG HERO

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Sponsored by The Peterborough Football & Sports Development Foundation

Top three (in no particular order): Jane Leigh, Ian Pepper, Tor Harris.

Near-miss: Adi Mowles.

Others to receive votes: Colin Day, John Torr, 67 Crew, Margrette Bothamley, Geoff Gardner, Ged Rathbone, Tristan Matthews, Paul Crooks.