A 280-STRONG audience celebrated another year of successes at the 2017 Stratford Athletic Club awards.
Achievements throughout all sections of the club were marked during an evening to remember at Stratford School.
The guests who presented the awards were Barbara Wood, the wife of Allen Wood who was the joint juniors founder with John Dell in 1979, Gwil Price, who is behind all schools athletics competitions and teams in Warwickshire, and Ray Morgan, the driving force behind much of what happens with county athletics and competitions in the county.
All the guests praised the success of the club, not just the winners and the many who represent the county, but in providing a wonderful, imaginative environment in which everyone feels valued and can achieve and exceed their own expectations.
Paul Bearman welcomed the audience and guests and said: “It’s been another full, exciting and successful year right across the club.
“We are reliant on our volunteers doing their jobs in their own time across the various sections of the club and, with such a big membership of more than 600, we need a lot of people involved – coaches, officials and administrators.
“On behalf of everyone at the club, if you’re a part of the various committees, a junior age group leader, supported the admin, if you’ve officiated at, helped or organised at an event, team managed, raked a pit, raised money for the track refurbishment, served tea and cake and in particular if you are a part of the brilliant various coaching teams out in all weathers, all year round – thank you.”
Bearman also mentioned the club is actively working with Stratford School on the project to refurbish the track, which received a massive boost from the Town Trust, which again stepped up to support athletics in the area when it awarded the project a grant of £40,000 earlier this year.
He thanked all the people in the club who are raising money to support the school to raise the considerable amount required for the refurbishment and made a special mention of the club’s Gravelsons family who braved the elements and climbed the three highest peaks in the Yorkshire Dales in 12 hours, raising a fantastic £1,200.
One of the highlights of the evening was when David Jones stepped up to announce the latest five inductees into the club’s Hall of Fame.
These are athletes who have achieved international selection in 2017. Jones said: “What makes this so special is that, from the eldest to the youngest of these new inductees, there’s a remarkable span of more than 40 years, which shows how broad-based and successful our athletes are across the club.”
Hall of Fame Inductees 2017: Kate Sergent, Paula Williams, Lewis Byng, Oli Cresswell, Jack Sumners
Trophy winners:
Senior Grand Prix awards: Female – Lynne Hinson; Male – David Jones
Chris Claxton Memorial Trophy – Cadie Hibberd
Senior Shakespeare competition: Age groups female: 16-34 Emily Bannister; 35-39 Maria Haslam; 40-44 Emily Adams; 45-49 Sarah Odell; 50-54 Kate Wright; 55-60 Naomi Whittaker; 60-64 Ruth Calderbank; 65+ Maureen Birch
Age groups male: 16-39 James Coy; 40-44 David Maundrell; 45-49 Wayne Vickers; 50-54 Malcolm Bowyer; 55-60 Paul Green; 60-64 Mike Barrie; 65+ David Jones
Overall Female – Emma Bexson
Overall Male – Rob Minton
Track & Field:
Senior T&F Athlete of the Year: Male – Cavan Farrow
Senior T&F Athlete of the Year: Female – Paula Williams
Club Championships:
Female U11 – Lucia Cassidy
Male U11 – Fred Williams
Female U13 – Emily Cresswell
Male U13 – Freddie Clemons
Female U15 – Millie Leighton
Male U15 – Adam Farrow
Female U17 – Imogen Sheppard
Male U17 – Oli Cresswell
Male U17 – Jack Sumners
Female U20 – Jess Sheppard
Male U20 – Daniel Boyd
Senior Female – Paula Williams
Senior Male – Brian Gravelsons
Most Supportive Junior Person of the Year:
U11 Female – Antonia Leece
U11 Male – Harry McDonald
U13 Female – Ella Baxter
U13 Male – Callum West
U15 Female – Charlotte Gravelsons
U15 Male – Finlay Hutchinson
U17 & 20 Female – Daisy Musk
U17 & 20 Men – Matthew Ross, James Gionis
The Allen Wood Endeavour Trophy – Oli Cresswell, Anna Gionis
Junior Star of Tomorrow:
Male – Adam Farrow
Female – Georgie Campbell
Junior Triathlon Awards:
8-12 Dedication/Commitment – Theo Skirvin
13-16 Dedication/Commitment – Ellie Deaner
8-12 Performance – Jake Deaner
13-16 Performance – Abbie Wootton
Senior Triathlon Awards:
Tri Grand Prix Male – James Purdy
Tri Grand Prix Female – Caroline Gionis
Most Improved Male – Clive Shepherd
Most Improved Female – Caroline Gionis
Tri Athlete of the Year Male – James Cusack
Tri Athlete of the Year Female – Emma Bexson
Junior All-round Athletes:
Female – Emily Madden Forman, Imogen Sheppard
Male – Freddie Clemons
Cross Country Awards:
Junior Cross Country Most Improved:
Female – Kate Dufty
Male – Owain Jones
Junior Cross Country Awards:
Female – Georgie Campbell
Male – Alex Adams
Senior Cross Country Awards:
Female – Rachel Pearce
Male – Oscar Barbour
John Dell Presidents Trophy:
Female Best Performance over 300m or 400m – Anna Gionis, Jess Sheppard
Male Best Performance over 400m – Adam Bayliss
Most Improved Junior Athlete:
Female – Charlotte Gravelsons
Male – Lewis Byng, Cole Williams
Most Improved Senior Athlete of the Year:
Female – Lynne Hinson
Male – Neil Robertson
Senior Club Personality – David Jones
Junior Club Person of the Year – Daniel Boyd
Athletes of the Year:
Junior Female – Emily Madden Forman
Junior Male – Jack Sumners
Senior Female – Emma Bexson
Senior Male – Oscar Barbour