Tuesday 15th November 2011
 Chesterfield table tennis star Liam Pitchford (left) has been named University of Derby Sportsperson of the Year at the Derbyshire Sports Awards.
Liam competed at his first Commonwealth Games in India last October, winning a bronze in the doubles with partner Andrew Baggaley and a silver medal in the team event - with Liam defeating the world No.17 to give England a vital start.
He also won a silver medal in the doubles at the English National Championships and a bronze medal in the team event at the European Youth Championships in July, and made headlines again a few weeks ago when he competed at the European Championships in Poland, where he beat five players ranked in the top 100 in the world, including the Belarusian Vladmir Samsonov ranked world No.9.
18-year-old Liam was announced as the winner of the University of Derby Sportsperson of the Year title during a ceremony at The Roundhouse in Derby, which was attended by 300 people.
Laura Pitchford, who collected the trophy on behalf of her brother, Liam Pitchford, from Professor John Coyne the Vice Chancellor of the University of Derby.
Professor John Coyne, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Derby, presented the trophy to Liam's sister, Laura Pitchford, (above) as Liam is currently in Bahrain competing at the World Junior Championships.
The evening saw trophies awarded in 12 categories, as the county's best and brightest sporting stars, coaches and volunteers gathered with other invited guests to celebrate another year of sporting success in Derbyshire and recognise the efforts of those involved in sport at grassroots level.
Olympic mascot 'Wenlock' made a guest appearance at the awards, and guests also enjoyed a performance by Derbyshire Tenor Thomas Spencer-Wortley and an exhibition of ceramic flower installations by London 2012 Cultural Olympiad artist Paul Cummins, from Chesterfield.
Young Derby County Football Club star Mason Bennett was the winner in the International Golf Development Junior Sportsman of the Year category.
Mason Bennett (right) with Guy Higton Director from International Golf Development
Mason, (above) from Langwith, made his senior debut for Derby County FC reserves aged 14 and became the youngest ever player to play for Derby's first team when he was named in the starting line-up in a 2 - 0 defeat against Middlesbrough aged just 15 years and 99 days. Shirebrook Academy pupil Mason has also played for the England U17 and U16 teams.
Daryl Hone (right) with Peter Green, Sports Editor, Derby Telegraph
Meanwhile the Derby Telegraph Service to Sport Award was presented to Daryl Hone, a volunteer at Colin Deaton Table Tennis Club who has been involved in table tennis in Chesterfield for more than 30 years, and Shirebrook Rangers FC was named the Cooper Parry Club of the Year. The club runs 15 teams at various age groups, and has a pathway from youth football to adult football which allows the more gifted players to stay with the club.
Shirebrook Rangers FC with Philip Rogers, Tax Partner from Cooper Parry
Netherthorpe School pupil Laurisa Robson, from Bolsover, was named the Derbyshire County Council Young Sports Leader/Young Coach of the Year after travelling to Trinidad and Tobago to coach young leaders as part of the FA's international leadership and volunteering programme, Changing Lives.
The Derbyshire 2012 Sport Sponsorship Award (£1,000 and under) - a new award to recognise companies which have sponsored a sporting project which resulted in a positive outcome - was won by Betfair Ltd for its support of Chesterfield and District Athletics Club via the Cash 4 Clubs scheme which provides funds to help club coaches gain further qualifications and to train new coaches.
Also recognised at the event was Great Britain wheelchair basketball player Jon Hall, from Clowne, who was the runner-up in the University of Derby Disabled Sportsperson of the Year category.
Kickboxer Jack Griffiths, from Bolsover, was the runner-up in the International Golf Development Junior Sportsman of the Year category, kickboxing coach Dave Cartawick, from Newbold, was the runner-up in the Derby College Coach of the Year category and Tupton Hall School pupil Poppy Marriott, from Wingerworth, was the runner-up in the Derbyshire County Council Young Sports Leader/Young Coach of the Year category.
A full list of winners and runners-up is below. Further details can be seen at www.derbyshiresport.co.uk/sports_awards. The awards are organised by Derbyshire Sport, a county sports partnership which provides the strategic lead for sport in Derbyshire.
Cllr Carol Hart, Chair of Derbyshire Sport, said: "There is some tremendous sporting talent in Derbyshire as well as a wealth of dedicated coaches and volunteers and some fantastic clubs in the county, and it is great to be able to recognise the dedication these people show and the contribution that they make.
"My congratulations go to each of the winners and all the finalists and I wish them many more years of sporting success.
"It was wonderful to see so many people join us at The Roundhouse to celebrate all that is great about sport in Derbyshire."
The University of Derby was the title sponsor of the event, and other sponsors include the Derby Telegraph, Derby City Council, Origination, Derbyshire 2012, Derbyshire County Council, Cooper Parry, International Golf Development, Active Derbyshire and Derby College.
The winners of the 2011 Derbyshire Sports Awards are:
University of Derby Sportsperson of the Year
Winner: Liam Pitchford (Chesterfield/NE Derbyshire - Table Tennis)
Runners-up: Anya Colley (Erewash - Jet-Skiing)
Annie Last (Derbyshire Dales - Cross Country Mountain Biking)
University of Derby Disabled Sportsperson of the Year
Winner: Maddie Thompson (High Peak - Wheelchair Basketball)
Runner-up: Jon Hall (Bolsover - Wheelchair Basketball)
International Golf Development Junior Sportsman of the Year
Winner: Mason Bennett (Bolsover - Football)
Runner-up: Jack Griffiths (Bolsover - Kickboxing)
Derby City Council Junior Sportswoman of the Year
Winner: Molly Renshaw (Amber Valley - Swimming)
Runner-up: Hannah Jones (Amber Valley - Snooker)
Origination Junior Disabled Sportsperson of the Year
Winner: Ellie Bamber (High Peak - Swimming and boccia)
Runner-up: Robert Abraham (Erewash - Swimming and athletics)
Cooper Parry Club of the Year
Winner: Shirebrook Rangers FC (Bolsover - Football)
Runner-up: Merlin ABC (Derby - Boxing)
Derby College Coach of the Year
Winner: Phil Vickers (Erewash - Table Tennis)
Runners-up: Kevin Brown (South Derbyshire - Rugby)
Dave Cartawick (Chesterfield/NE Derbyshire - Kickboxing)
Derbyshire County Council Young Sports Leader/Young Coach of the Year
Winner: Laurisa Robson (Bolsover - Football)
Runner-up: Poppy Marriott (Chesterfield/NE Derbyshire - Various Sports)
Derby Telegraph Service to Sport Award
Winner: Daryl Hone (Chesterfield/NE Derbyshire - Table Tennis)
Runner-up: Gillian Lockwood (Derbyshire Dales - Various Sports)
Derbyshire 2012 Sport Sponsorship Award (£1,000 and under)
Winner: Betfair Ltd - Supporting Chesterfield Athletic Club
Derbyshire 2012 Sport Sponsorship Award (£1,000+)
Winner: Derbyshire Building Society
Runner-up: Burton and South Derbyshire College
Active Derbyshire Active Workplace Award
Winners: Cooper Parry
University of Derby
Runner-up: South Derbyshire District Council
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