Watson confirms Sports Awards appearance
Thursday, 21 August 2008
BBC NI Sports presenter Stephen Watson will join Dame Mary Peters at the Ballymoney Sports Awards in Ballymoney Town Hall on Saturday October 4.
POPULAR BBC NI sports presenter Stephen Watson has confirmed he will be attending the Ballymoney Sports Awards ceremony to be held in Ballymoney Town Hall later this year.
The globe-trotting presenter, no stranger to Ballymoney or the north Antrim area, says he is looking forward to toasting the achievements of the sporting stars from across the Riada region.
“I always enjoy going up to north Antrim and Ballymoney and I'm looking forward to sharing in the achievements of the amazing sporting talent in that area," he said.
Stephen will be joined by a sporting legend on Saturday October 4, none other than Ulster's first lady of the Olympics, Dame Mary Peters, who won gold in the heptahlon at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
A leading figure in sports administration since retiring from competing, Dame Mary Peters will, no doubt, have a say in how London plans to host the games in four year's time.
“It will be a pleasure for me to spend some time with the sports people of Ballymoney at their awards ceremony - especially in an Olympic year," she said.
A total of 12 awards will be up for grabs at the awards, covering a range of sports, and featuring the coveted titles of Sports Man and Sports Woman of the Year.
Competition, as ever, will be fierce in these categories, as well as Team of the Year and those awards will reward the unsung heroes of local sport, the administrators.
And one lucky winner will follow in the none too small footsteps of former Ulster and Ireland rugby player Davy Tweed by being entered into the Ballymoney Sports Advisory Committee's Hall of Fame.
Nomination forms are currently available from a number of outlets including the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre, Riada House, Ballymoney Town Hall and the Ballymoney office of the Chronicle, main awards sponsors.
Forms have also been distributed among sports and community groups and are available online at www.ballymoney.gov.uk.
Richard Baker, group manager of the Alpha Newspaper Group which owns the Chronicle, said he was looking forward to another memorable evening in Ballymoney Town Hall.
“We are delighted once again to be associated with the Ballymoney Sports Awards which aims to recognise the hard work and dedication put in by sports people right across the borough of Ballymoney which has a long and distinguished sporting history," he said. Together with our other sponsors which includes Kelly's of Portrush and McClarty's Insurance and with the expertise and commitment of the Ballymoney Sports Advisory Committee we are looking forward to a great night on October 4."
