Sportspeople, their clubs and families have been celebrating South Devon sporting talent at Teignbridge Council’s Sports Personality of the Year Awards, which saw Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist Natalie Melmore, 21, crowned Teignbridge Sports Personality of the Year.
The gala awards ceremony was held on Friday, November 26 at the Langstone Cliff Hotel in Dawlish, and saw Natalie scoop both the Senior Sportswoman of the Year award and the overall Teignbridge Sports Personality of the Year accolade.
Natalie won the award based on her achievements from April 2009 – March 2010, though she also went on to win a Gold Medal in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in the Ladies Singles Bowls event.
She started playing bowls at the age of nine having seen her father playing the sport. She started playing outdoor bowls at the age of 11 at Newton Abbot Bowls Club. Her first England trial came at the age of 12, and she played for England for the first time at 15 in both indoors and outdoors versions of the sport.
Natalie told the Devon Week: “I am delighted to receive this award, especially as the other athletes nominated have had great years as well. It’s a pleasure to be born and bred in Teignbridge and we are lucky that we have such excellent sports facilities compared to a lot of other districts. It’s been a great year for me and to win this award just tops it off really.
“I only hope I can keep it up!”
Her recent individual and club highlights include:
Outdoor Bowls:
Runner-up in the National Singles Champion of Champions 2009
Winner of the National Mixed Pairs 2009
Quarter Finalist in the National Two-Wood Singles 2009
National under-31’s two fours winners (Amy Rose)
Selected for the Commonwealth team in 2009
Selected for the Senior international team 2009/2010
Australian Open quarter-finalist – Ladies Singles 2010
Winners of the Australian Test Series Seniors at Moama 2010 (England vs. Australia)
National Singles Winner in 2010, becoming the youngest ever winner
National County two fours winners 2010
Indoors Bowls:
National Triples qualifier 2008/2009
Egham semi final 2009
Lingford Trophy runner-up 2008/2009
National under-25’s club double rink winners 2008/2009
The full shortlist and winners are:
Junior Sportswoman of the Year (Sponsored by Big Wave Media)
Katie Eden – The British Ski Academy
Tiegan Flay – PUMA
Shachar Head – Steve’s Gym
Winner: Tiegan Flay – PUMA
Junior Sportsman of the Year (Sponsored by Active Teignbridge)
Alf Dinnie – Ashmoor Hockey Club
Ryan Oliver – Exmouth Archery
Dan Petty – Exeter Harriers
Winner: Ryan Oliver – Exmouth Archery
Young Person’s Services to Sport and Physical Education (Sponsored by South Dartmoor School Sports Partnership)
Zoe Gray – Newton Abbot College
Louise Hooker – Coombeshead College
Rachel Short – South Dartmoor Community College
Winner: Louise Hooker (Coombeshead College)
Sportsperson with a Physical/Learning Disability (Sponsored by Rotary Club, Newton Abbot)
James Bromfield – Ashmoor Hockey Club
Elliot Fay – Newton Abbot Fishing Association
Chloe Jonas – Martial Arts 4 Fun
Winner: Chloe Jonas – Martial Arts 4 Fun
Coach/Manager of the Year (Sponsored by The Firewatch Group)
Phil Burford (Newton Abbot Rugby Football Club)
Peter O’Neill (Marital Arts 4 Fun)
Robin Shute (Team South West Underwater Hockey Club)
Winner: Phil Burford (Newton Abbot Rugby Football Club)
Volunteer of the Year (Sponsored by Walk This Way)
Jean Green – Dance This Way
John Livingstone – Dance This Way
Margaret Silver – Dance This Way & Walk This Way
Winner: Jean Green – Dance This Way
Junior Team of the Year (Sponsored by Tony Pryce Sports Limited)
Bovey Tracey U11 Cricket Team
South Dartmoor U16 Hockey Team
Team South West U13 Underwater Hockey Team
Winner: Team South West U13 Underwater Hockey Team
Services to Health & Physical Activity (Sponsored by Steve’s Gym)
Anne & Bob Hughes – Walk This Way
Claire Johns – Starcross Sports & Community Association
Mandy Wiblin – Prime Life
Winner: Mandy Wiblin (Prime Life)
Services to Sport (Education) (Sponsored by South Dartmoor Community College)
Jan Boscence – Widecombe In The Moor Primary School
Julia Harvey – Chudleigh Church of England Primary School
Katherine Kilburn – South Dartmoor School Sports Partnership
Winner: Julia Harvey – Chudleigh Church of England Primary School
Services to Sport (Community) (Sponsored by Langstone Cliff Hotel)
Claire Gillard – Newton Abbot Athletics Club
Coral Waldock – Newton Abbot Swimming Club
Charles Woolnough – Shaldon Optimists Cricket Club & Teignmouth Rugby Football Club
Winner: Coral Waldock – Newton Abbot Swimming Club
Senior Team of the Year (Sponsored by Active Devon)
Dawlish Town Football Club 3rd Team
Newton Abbot Rugby Club 1st Team
Shaldon Bowling Club
Winner: Shaldon Bowling Club
Senior Sportswoman of the Year (Sponsored by Teignbridge Council’s Green Spaces and Active Leisure Service)
Beth Camp – Exeter Harriers Running Club
Lauren Hutchings – Ashmoor Hockey Club
Natalie Melmore – Kings Bowling Club
Winner: Natalie Melmore – Kings Bowling Club
Senior Sportsman of the Year
Leigh Riggs – Cockington Riding Club
Jamie Speight – Cosmo Gym
Steven Turnock – Exeter Harriers
Winner: Steven Turnock – Exeter Harriers
Teignbridge Sports Personality of the Year
Natalie Melmore – Kings Bowling Club
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