Cream of sporting talent honoured at big Llan evening

* The line-up of sporting winners. 

Denbighshire has celebrated the cream of sporting talent in the county at a glittering awards ceremony in Llangollen Pavilion.

Out of 130 nominations, the judging panel drew up a final shortlist of three for each category.

One of the highlights of the night was a double scoop for Aaron Evans, who has cerebral palsy.

Aaron won the Disability Sport Award and will also be Denbighshire’s Community Sport Ambassador 2013, in recognition of his voluntary work visiting primary schools throughout Denbighshire, sharing his experiences as a past disability footballer and captain for Everton FC and Wales, and introducing youngsters to new Paralympic sports.

The winners included Nathan Jones (Sport Performer of the Year), Dylan Kerfoot-Robson (Junior Sports Performer), Rhyl Netball Club (Team of the Year), Iris Thomas (Unsung Hero), Mike Hayes (Volunteer of the Year), Ian Evans (Coach of the Year), and Bruce Carlyle (Lifetime Achievement), Jake Jones (Young Inspiration), Aaron Evans (Disability Award and Denbighshire Sport Ambassador 2013).

Councillor Huw Jones, Denbighshire's Cabinet Lead Member for Leisure, Youth, Tourism and Rural Development, paid tribute to the wealth of sporting talent in Denbighshire.

He said:"I am delighted to have been part of the celebrations at the award ceremony. The standard of the nominations made for some difficult decisions when it came to judging and everyone should be extremely proud of their acheivements. I pass on my congratulations to all of the winners and runners up.

"We have even more cause for celebration because three of our nine winners have been shortlisted for national recognition and invited to the Sport Wales ‘Coach of the Year’ awards in Cardiff in November.

"This is the highest amount of nominees shortlisted from any other authority in North Wales and only matched by the significantly higher populated authorities of Cardiff and Caerphilly."

Denbighshire would also like to thank event sponsors Alliance Leisure, alongside category sponsors Glyndwr University, Llandrillo College Rhyl, X N Leisure, Technogym, and DCC Housing services for their support in making the event possible.

For more information on the awards and details on how to nominate or Sponsor next year's event please contact Matt Hilliker on 07798742290 or matthew.hilliker@denbighshire.gov.ukor visit www.denbighshireleisure.co.uk