The BBC East Midlands Sports Awards 2008, supported by Sport England, is under starter's orders to celebrate the region's contribution to a record-breaking Olympic Games in Beijing and another great year for sport in general for the East Midlands. The sixth annual awards sees Olympic and Paralympic medal-winners battling it out for more top honours.
This year’s glittering ceremony is taking place next Thursdayat the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham and is hosted by BBC Sport’s John Inverdale.
There are nine categories with the ‘East Midlands Sports Personality of the Year’ award promising to
be a straight fight between Rebecca Adlington (Double Olympic gold winner in swimming); Tim Brabants (Olympic gold and bronze in the canoe sprint) and Ryan Sidebottom (England and Nottinghamshire bowler - now ranked sixth best bowler in the world).
Other categories in hot competition on the night include: Disabled Sports Personality of the Year; Team of the Year; Coach of the Year; Junior Sportsperson of the Year; Junior Disabled Sportsperson of the Year; Enterprise In Sport Award; Football Achievement of the Year and the Brian Clough Breakthrough Award.
The event will be covered by BBC East Midlands Today, BBC Radio Derby, BBC Radio Leicester and BBC Radio Nottingham as well as online at the BBC Local websites.
The East Midlands BBC Unsung Hero Award 2008, supported by Robinsons, who offer a bursary of up to £2,500 to the winner, will also announced at the gala ceremony.
The full article contains 249 words and appears in Ashfield Chad newspaper.
