Gloucestershire Sports Awards success
Thursday, November 26, 2009, 07:00
Cheltenham athlete James Brewer was last night crowned the Sports Personality of the Year in the Gloucestershire Media Sports Awards.
He was one of 11 winners to be honoured for their services to sport in the county at a presentation dinner at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Brewer, who is now training and studying at the University of California in San Francisco, competed in the 1500m at the World Championships in Berlin in August, missing out on the final by just 0.08 seconds.
In a video message recorded from San Francisco and broadcast to fellow nominees and guests at the racecourse's Gold Cup Suite, Brewer said the award, sponsored by NHS Gloucestershire, was a huge honour.
He said: "This past year has been a roller-coaster ride for me. At the beginning of the year I failed even to make the top 10 at the national indoor championships.
"So to then go on and represent my country at the World Championships was a huge turnaround and I surprised even myself.
"To then be given an award like this is the icing on the cake. And it's a huge encouragement to know that everyone back home is supporting me.
"It's exactly the kind of boost I need during the winter months to keep me training hard.
"And I hope that I will put in the work this winter and maybe do even better next season."
Brewer is in America to continue his training and to study for a degree.
He said he is missing Gloucestershire but is looking forward to coming home to Southam, near Cheltenham at Christmas.
And he added: "I owe a great deal to a lot of people in Gloucestershire so really this award should be shared with them."
He said his first sport was gymnastics and he trained at Cheltenham Gymnastics Club and he started his athletics career with Cheltenham Harriers.
He thanked his coach, and fellow nominee, Andrew Beadle, and his family and friends for their support.
In other awards announced last night, Gloucester City Winget Cricket Under-17s won the Junior Team of the Year category, sponsored by Aspire.
The team has won six trophies in the past two seasons – and seven of its players have represented the county.
The Senior Team of the Year award, sponsored by Raging Bull Sportswear, went to Velo Club Montpellier, the winners of the Castle Coombe Summer Racing Series.
The Senior Club of the Year award, sponsored by The Citizen, went to Cheltenham Hockey Club, the winners of the summer Hockey League and runners-up in the Winter Hockey League.
Forest of Dean Gymnastics Club won the Junior Club of the Year category, sponsored by the Gloucestershire Echo.
The club has a proven track record of providing successful young gymnasts who achieve success at regional and national level.
The award for Official of the Year, sponsored by Stroud Life, went to Roy Taylor from Charlton Kings, who has spent 40 years with Cheltenham Hockey Club as player, coach, executive member and umpire.
The Young Coach of the Year, sponsored by Active Gloucestershire, went to Shona Corbett, 16, who was appointed Young Ambassador for the Stroud School Sport Partnership.
In the Senior Coach of the Year category, sponsored by The Forester, Lynn Hammersley from Coleford was named as the winner.
She has been elected by all the clubs in the county as chairman of the Gloucestershire Amateur Gymnastic Association for the last 15 years.
The Disability Sports Person of the Year award, sponsored by Hartpury Sport, was presented to Paralympic gold medalist Simon Laurens from Birdlip.
The Teacher of the Year award, sponsored by Gloucestershire County Council, went to Julian Ralph who goes above and beyond the call of duty as a teacher at the National Star College in Ullenwood, Cheltenham.
And the Outstanding Services to Sport award, sponsored by Brickhampton Court Golf Complex, went to athletics coach Caroline Franks from Cheltenham.
The Sports Award presentation dinner was hosted by Edward Gillespie, managing director of Cheltenham Racecourse, and included a speech by Gloucester Rugby coach Bryan Redpath.