The nominees for next week’s Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year 2008 awards have been announced.
The winners will be announced at the award ceremony on February 12th and will be chosen by a prestigious judging panel chaired by BBC 5 Live sports broadcaster Eleanor Oldroyd, and includes amongst others Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, sports broadcaster Jill Douglas, and the Head of Policy at UK Sport Amanda Bennett.
The nominees are:
Sportswoman of the Year
Nicole Cooke (Road cycling)
Victoria Pendleton (Track cycling)
Hayley Turner (Horseracing)
Team of the Year
England women’s cricket team
England women’s rugby union team
Yngling sailing crew (Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson)
Olympian of the Year
Rebecca Adlington (Swimming)
Christine Ohuruogu (Athletics)
Rebecca Romero (Track cycling)
Paralympian of the Year
Sophie Christiansen (Equestrianism)
Heather Frederiksen (Swimming)
Eleanor Simmonds (Swimming)
Unsung Hero Award
Wendy Coles (Administrator at the Amateur Swimming Association)
Amanda Kirby (Gymnastics coach)
Sheila Plant (President of the Southern Counties Hockey Association)
PE Teacher of the Year
Esther Amery (Toynbee School, Eastleigh, Hampshire)
Cheryl Buckley (Baxter College, Kidderminster, Worcestershire)
Karen Griffiths (St. Bernard’s Catholic High School, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria)
Young Sportswoman of the Year
Rachel Atherton (Downhill mountain bike racing)
Holly Colvin (Cricket)
Kirsty McWilliam (Triathlon)
Laura Robson (Tennis)
Zoe Smith (Weightlifting)
Community Club Volunteer Award
Laura Cotton (Teacher and lifeguard at Deben swimming club)
Janet Kidd (Football coach of Oxford City Casuals)
Kay Stokes (Coach at Cleveland Triathlon Club)
Other awards to be presented during the day are The Helen Rollason Award for Inspiration and Sponsorship of the Year.
Sportsister will be attending the awards and will report on the winners so check back in news next week.
Louise Hudson, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
