Superb line-up of contenders for annual celebration of local athletes and teams
THE Amateur Sports Awards will recognise the tremendous achievements of local athletes and clubs at the annual awards night in The Plaza Hotel on Thursday, January 25.
Run in association with Active South Dublin and South Dublin County Council, The Echo has, for the past 15 years honoured and celebrated sporting groups in the community.
The awards night will bring together some of the rising and accomplished stars and teams that have shone across the previous 12-months in their particular field.
Among the nominees in the running for the 2023 Sports Star of the Year award are sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke and swimmer Ellen Walshe.
Both had fantastic years and are now looking forward to the Olympic Games this summer in Paris.
Only last weekend, Rhasidat Adeleke of Tallaght AC started her 2024 season with a bang, breaking her Irish indoor 60m and 200m records at the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Collegiate Invitational in Albuquerque.
Ellen from Templeogue secured a spot on the plane to the 2024 Olympic Games last July after hitting the qualification time with a record-breaking swim at the World Aquatics Championships.
Another person travelling to the Olympic Games is Glenanne player/coach Shane O’Donoghue.
Shane was on target for Ireland in Ireland’s 4-3 win over Korea on Sunday and his Glenanne team will be present at the awards after winning the Mill Cup.
The other sport star nominees who will honoured on the night include Hannah Tyrrell who was Player of the Match in the All-Ireland Final with Dublin, reigning WAKO World and European champion Jodie Browne and clubmate Nicole Bannon.
South Dublin Taekwondo’s Jack Woolley did himself proud by winning gold at the Spanish Open while Cara Byrne from Newlands Taekwon-Do and Jobstown boxer Joshua Olaniyan will be honoured.
Motorsport will be represented by Willie Coyne and Daire Flock while darts player Katie Sheldon is in the mix in what is a competitive line-up.
The Team of the Year category includes two women’s rugby teams – Clondalkin and Tallaght Rugby Club along with two women soccer teams – Airticitry League champions Peamount United and Kilnamanagh SFAI U12 All-Ireland winners.
Clondalkin basketball team Dublin Lions won the Women’s Division One National Cup for the first-time last year while Castle Golf Club came out tops in the AIG Men’s Senior Cup.
GAA is represented by Ballyboden St Enda’s U21 footballers won the championship crown and Round Tower ladies’ team who secured the championship crown.
The variety of nominees and commitment and achievement has impressed Thos McDermott, Head of the Active South Dublin unit.
“Active South Dublin is a partnership between South Dublin County Council and Sport Ireland to develop and promote increased levels of participation across all of our community in sport and healthy physical activity.
“The Active South Dublin Amateur Sports Awards are a celebration of commitment and achievement in local sport and the diversity of the awards is testament to the incredible talent in the area and the great spread of sports opportunities that are available to the community.
“Active South Dublin is delighted to be supporting these awards, in partnership with The Echo, celebrating those athletes, coaches and club administrators who through their efforts are creating a great community in South Dublin and have brought great pride to the area.”
TAGS Sport
