Local and national sports stars will be celebrated at the annual Everyone Active Sporting Champions Awards.
Nominations are now open for 10 award categories, which are set to be announced at this year’s prestigious Sporting Champions Awards, hosted at Porchester Hall in Bayswater, London on Wednesday, October 30.
The ceremony will be hosted by Great Britain’s double world 110m hurdles champion and former world record holder Colin Jackson, alongside a line-up of Elite athletes who have starred on this year’s Olympic and Paralympic stage, including Lauren Steadman, Richard Kilty and Maisie Summers-Newton.
Now in its eighth year, the Sporting Champions initiative has helped more than 5,000 athletes to achieve their sporting potential by providing free access to Everyone Active’s leisure facilities nationwide and exclusive mentoring from several of the UK’s greatest athletes.
Among the current athletes on the scheme, they achieved nine gold, six silver and eight bronze medals at this year’s Olympics and Paralympics. The total of 23 medals demonstrating the scheme’s role in supporting grassroots athletes through to elite sporting talent.
This year, the awards will not only celebrate the current athletes, but also recognise the Everyone Active colleagues and local authority partners who have provided valuable support to the local athletes and the scheme.
The event will feature 10 award categories, acknowledging both individual and community achievements:
- Regional Sporting Champion of the Year (x3 awards available depending on location – East, West, South East)
- National Sporting Champion of the Year
- Young Champion of the Year
- Social Media Champion of the Year
- Community Champion of the Year
- Outstanding Achievement of the Year
- Everyone Active site of the Year
- Local authority partner of the Year
Nominations can be completed on the Sporting Champions website here: Sporting Champions Awards 2024 Nominations Form (eacommunications.co.uk)
The awards ceremony will be preceded by a mentoring workshop, led by the scheme’s team of Elite athletes.
Olympic and Paralympic stars Lutalo Muhammad, Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey will join Lauren, Richard and Maisie to share their insights and experiences to help guide the Sporting Champions athletes in their own careers.
David Bibby, Everyone Active’s managing director, said: “We are delighted to support more than 1,400 talented athletes from across the country, assisting their career development and providing valuable mentoring inside and outside of sport.
“As a leisure provider working in partnership with 68 local authority partners across more than 240 leisure and cultural facilities, we provide a valuable pathway for many athletes to achieve their dreams.
“The Sporting Champions awards is a culmination of the hard work and dedication the athletes put in to achieving their best and inspiring those around them.
“We are proud to make a real difference to all our athletes’ successes and delighted to see the scheme achieve 23 medals at the Olympic and Paralympic this year.”
To find out more about the Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions scheme, visit www.easportingchampions.com or follow @easportingchamps on Instagram. For further information on Everyone Active, visit www.everyoneactive.com
