A Ping-Pong playing pensioner could be among the winners at the annual Active Swansea Sports Awards later this week.
Betty Gray, a table tennis coach based at Penlan Leisure Centre, could walk away from the prestigious event with a Lifetime Contribution to Sport Award in the bag.
She’s already picked up a lifetime achievement award at the National Coach Awards ceremony in Cardiff earlier this month and has just celebrated her 90th birthday. Betty is up against Gavin Williams, a founder member of the Swansea Storm basketball club, for the Swansea-based award.
The Active Swansea Sports Awards are organised by Swansea Council. They’re split into 11 categories that include senior team of the year, junior team of the year, coach of the year, senior disabled sportsperson of the year and junior disabled sportsperson of the year.
Swimmer Georgia Davies, 400-metre hurdler David Greene and badminton star Jamie Van Hooijdonk are the nominees for the Senior Swansea Sportsperson of the Year Award.
The Senior Team Award sees a straight fight between Swansea City Ladies FC and the Swansea Storm basketball side. The ladies won the Welsh Women’s Premier League and went on to represent the country in Europe.
The award ceremony takes place on Friday December 3 at the Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall and will be compered by BBC Wales presenter Jason Mohammed.
Cllr Graham Thomas, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation and Tourism, said: “You only have to look at some of the award winners in previous years to see how prestigious the occasion is.
“Current Swans and Ospreys skippers Garry Monk and Alun Wyn Jones are among those to have walked away with top awards in the recent past and the shortlists for young sportspeople for this year’s awards shows the future of Swansea sport is in safe hands.”
Representatives of the Young Ambassador scheme will also be on hand during the award evening to give a presentation and meet and greet guests.
The scheme is now in place across the UK and members are tasked with raising awareness of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and their values. They’ve also been tasked with developing opportunities in sport participation and leadership in their secondary schools and will be receiving certificates in recognition of their efforts.
Gareth Govier, Swansea Council Active Young People Development Officer, said: “The Young Ambassador scheme has really captured the imagination of young people in Swansea who have put themselves forward to act as role models for their peers.
“The initial signs are very positive with four dynamic Gold Ambassadors appointed to lead the scheme in Swansea and 30 adiStar Young Ambassadors selected to develop opportunities in participation and leadership within their secondary schools.”
Have a look at www.swansea.gov.uk/sportsawards for more information.
