Geoff Ford heads to the Roundhouse in Derby to meet the local sports stars of 2014

Adam Peaty was named as the University of Derby Sportsperson Of The Year at the 2014 Derbyshire Sports Awards.The 19 year old won two Commonwealth gold medals in Glasgow in the 100m breaststroke and the 4 x 100m medley relay, together with silver in the 50m breaststroke. Adam’s success continued at the European Championships in Berlin, where he won four more gold medals in the 50m and 100m breaststroke and 4x100m medley and mixed medley relays, setting a new world record of 26.62 seconds in the 50m breaststroke. He also became the first British swimmer to beat 59 seconds for the 100m breaststroke whilst taking the British titles in the 50m and 100m breaststroke. The City of Derby swimmer collected the award from University of Derby deputy chief executive Hari Punchihewa, and last year’s winner athlete Yasmin Miller.

There was stiff competition for the award, after a fantastic Commonwealth Games for Derbyshire. The other nominees were Chesterfield’s table tennis star Liam Pitchford, Matlock’s Caroline Povey, a bronze medal winner in the Women’s Olympic Trap shooting event, and Sawley athlete Will Sharman who collected silver medals in the 110m hurdles in the Commonwealth Games and European Championships.

Lewis White (14) from Swadlincote, was named Origination Junior Disabled Sportsperson Of The Year for the second year. The 14-year-old City of Derby swimmer has set a string of personal best times in the British Para-swimming International Championships, British Gas International Swimming Championships and DSE National Long Course S9 events, winning bronze for England at the UK School Games.

The University of Derby Disabled Sportsperson Of The Year was Max Foord from Swadlincote. The 18 year old set a new Teen 75kg Raw Bench Press powerlifting world record and was also crowned World, European and British champion in the same category. His next target is the European Championships in Ireland.

The Huub Design Young Sportsman Of The Year was awarded jointly to Harvey Martin, 15, and 17-year-old Bradley Moore. Harvey, from Alfreton, and dinghy sailing partner Bobby Hewitt won the national title, European Championships, Crown Cup and World Championships in sailing’s RS Feva Class. Meanwhile Derby golfer Bradley has a world junior ranking of seven and has won the European Junior Masters, represented Great Britain and Ireland in the Jacque Leglise Trophy and taken part in the Youth Olympic Games.

Abbie Wood retained her Derby City Council Junior Sportswoman Of The Year award after a year of significant progress. The 15-year-old Buxton Community School student, a gold member of the Derbyshire Institute of Sport, won two gold medals and two silvers at the European Olympic Youth Festival and swam for Great Britain at the European Championships.

The special guest for the evening was Derby County head coach Steve McClaren, who chatted about his career to host Colin Hazelden. McClaren spoke of his time at Derby, under Jim Smith, before his move to Manchester United with Sir Alex Ferguson. McClaren returned to Derby late in 2013 and guided The Rams to the Championship play-off final last season. He was quick to praise his predecessor Nigel Clough for putting together what has now been shaped into one of the Championship’s leading sides.

McClaren then presented the Derby County FC Team Of The Year Award to Derby Trailblazers Basketball Club First Team. They won immediate promotion back to England Basketball Division One by winning the Division Two title and also securing victory in the play-offs.

The other award winners were: Melanie Marshall (Derby, swimming) Matrix Fitness Performance Coach of the Year; Jake Buxton (Derby County FC, football) Morley Hayes Professional Sportsperson of the Year; Derby City Council Junior Sportswoman Of The Year; Glossop North End AFC Juniors (High Peak, football) PKF Cooper Parry Club Of The Year; Richard Ball (High Peak, cricket) Derby College Community Coach Of The Year; Robert Martin (Bolsover, ju jitsu, kobudo, barjutsu and athletics) Derbyshire County Council Young Sports Leader/Young Coach Of The Year; Rosie Port (South Derbyshire, netball) Derby Telegraph Service To Sport Award and Cadtek Systems (High Peak) Moore Large Active Workplace Award.