Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards for 2009
Top golfer Rory McIlroy was named Sports Star of the Year at this year’s Magners backed Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards for 2009. The twenty year old Holywood golfer is the youngest ever winner of the top award and follows in the footsteps of fellow golfer Darren Clarke and other sporting icons including Wendy Houvenaghel, David Healy, Tony McCoy and the late Joey Dunlop. Rory is also a former winner of the George Best Breakthrough and Young Player of the Year awards.
Rory, who is currently ranked 10th in the world, is in Dubai preparing for his first major tournament of 2010, the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship and was unable to attend the awards ceremony last night. Rory’s award was collected by his proud parents Gerry and Rosie McIlroy.
The gala awards, also supported by Sport Northern Ireland, were held last night at Belfast’s Ramada Hotel and honoured 12 top sporting heroes from both the amateur and professional fields.
Also honoured were Olympic athlete and hockey international hockey legend Maeve Kyle OBE who was inducted into the Belfast Telegraph Hall of Fame and Special Award winner Ireland cricketer Kyle McCallan.
This year’s ONE 1918 George Best Breakthrough Award was presented to Celtic and Northern Ireland footballer Niall McGinn, whilst Irish rugby international Stephen Ferris won Player of the Year and the Linwoods Team the Year was awarded to Ballynahinch Rugby team.
Up and coming young athlete Ciara Mageean won Young Player of the Year and Armagh Minors clinched the Young Team of the Year trophy. This year’s Sports Person with a Disability award, sponsored by Disability Needs was presented to World Dwarf Games competitor Niall McVeigh with Antrim GAA coach Liam Bradley taking the Sport NI Manager/Coach of the Year.
This year’s Sport NI Local Heroes award was presented to Londonderry based wrestler Mohammad Ali who has represented both GB and Northern Ireland on the international stage and the NI Sports Forum WJ ‘Paddy’ Patterson trophy was awarded to veteran badminton administrator Bob Colhoun who has chalked up over 50 years of outstanding voluntary service to Ulster and Irish badminton.
The 2009 Sports Awards welcomed over 400 guests including high profile stars from the world of local sport including former Northern Ireland footballers Pat Jennings and Gerry Armstrong, rugby stars Paddy Wallace, Tom Court, Darren Cave, Chris Henry and Rory Best. Former Ireland rugby players Mike Gibson, Willie Anderson, Trevor Ringland and Tyrone Howe, Jeremy Davidson, Keith Crossan and Nigel Carr and Simon Best. Stars from the motorbiking world included Eugene and Michael Laverty, Alistair Seeley, Ryan Farquhar, Jonathan Rea and NW200 Race Director Mervyn Whyte MBE.
Congratulating all the winners Belfast Telegraph editor Mike Gilson said: “The Belfast Telegraph is delighted to honour so many top sporting heroes at our annual awards and 2009 has undoubtedly been an outstanding year for local sports people both at home and abroad. The Belfast Telegraph would also like to pay tribute to our lead sponsor Magners Irish Cider as well as Sport Northern Ireland who have been a key supporter of the awards this year and of course all our category sponsors Linwoods, Disability Needs, ONE 1918 and NI Sports Forum.”
Paying tribute to all the winners and finalists Sports Minister, Nelson McCausland said, “I welcome this opportunity to celebrate Northern Ireland's sporting talent - it is a fitting tribute to the hard work and dedication of all our sportsmen and women who are such great ambassadors for Northern Ireland."
This is the eighth year that Magners Irish Cider has partnered the Awards as title sponsor and Nicola McCleery, Head of Marketing said: “At Magners we acknowledge the Sports Awards as a very special occasion which acknowledges the outstanding sporting achievements that have been attained over the last twelve months by so many of our talented sports men and women. Magners continues to play an important role within the Northern Ireland sporting arena and we’re delighted to partner the Belfast Telegraph as title sponsor and congratulate all the winners tonight.”
Sport Northern Ireland are also supporting this year’s awards programme and Chief Executive Eamonn McCartan said: “Sport Northern Ireland are delighted to support the Sports Awards again this year, as an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the wealth of sporting talent we have in Northern Ireland. We wish all nominees the best of luck and hope to see many more rising stars in the forthcoming year.”
Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards 2009
1. Belfast Telegraph Young Player of the Year – Ciara Mageean (athletics)
2. Belfast Telegraph Young Team of the Year - Armagh Minors GAA
3. Belfast Telegraph Player of the Year – Stephen Ferris
4. Sport Northern Ireland Local Heroes Award – Mohammad Ali
5. Disability Needs Sportperson with a Disability Award – Niall McVeigh (World Dwarf Games)
6. NI Sports Forum WJ ‘Paddy’ Patterson Award – Bob Colhoun (badminton)
7. Linwoods Team of the Year – Ballynahinch Rugby Team
8. Belfast Telegraph Special Award – Kyle McCallan
9. Sport Northern Ireland Manager/Coach of the Year – Liam Bradley
10. ONE 1918 George Best Breakthrough Award – Niall McGinn
11. Belfast Telegraph Hall of Fame – Maeve Kyle OBE
12 Magners Sports Star of the Year – Rory McIllroy
Media contact: Rosemary or Sarah at JPR Tel 028 9076 0066 or mobile 07880 504928 (Rosemary) or email rosemary.allister@jprni.com
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