University of Bath-based athletes dominate Bath Chronicle Sports Awards shortlists

Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic medallists are among the University of Bath-based athletes and alumni shortlisted for this year’s Bath Chronicle Sports Awards.

Paul Blake, who won gold and silver at the Paralympic Games, is in the running for Disability Sports Performer of the Year along with training partner Sophie Kamlish, who set a new world record in Rio – both are coached by Rob Ellchuk at the Sports Training Village.

Also shortlisted are badminton player Bobby Griffin, a Team Bath Futures athlete, and wheelchair fencer Piers Gilliver, a Rio silver-medallist who trains at the University and won the award in 2015 (pictured).

Gilliver is one of two sporting ambassadors for MJ Church, Team Bath’s partners, to be shortlisted for the overall Sports Personality of the Year prize along with modern pentathlete and Rio Olympian Joe Choong, who also studies Mathematics at the University. Also in contention is Emily Diamond, who won bronze in the women’s 4x400m relay in Rio.

Two University of Bath-based athletes are on the three-person shortlist for Young Sports Player of the Year – Team Bath Tennis ace Eden Richardson, another MJ Church sporting ambassador, and rower Jens Hullah, coached by Dan Harris at the GB Rowing Team Start Centre in Bath.

The two most famous graduates of that talent-development programme, Helen Glover and Sports Technology graduate Heather Stanning, are in the running for Senior Team of the Year after successfully defending their Olympic women’s pair title in Rio.

Among their rivals for the award is Team Bath Netball, who finished third overall in the 2016 Vitality Netball Superleague.

Three University-based Olympians are in contention for Professional Sports Personality of the Year – swimmers Jazz Carlin and Siobhan Marie-O’Connor, who both won silver medals in Rio, and Pentathlon GB’s Jamie Cooke, who this year became the first British male to win the World Cup Final.

Nominated for Junior Team of the Year are Team Bath Buccaneers Hockey Club’s U14 Boys, while Aquae Sulis Performance Swimming Club – who train in the London 2012 Legacy Pool at the STV – are Community Club of the Year finalists.

The winners will be announced during a ceremony at Bath Racecourse on Wednesday, November 9.