Runner up: Amanda Carreras. Amanda started her year by winning the ITF W15 Le Havre Tournament in February as well as winning 3 golds at the Gibraltar 2019 Island Games. 2019 also saw her reach a career high ranking reaching 25th in the ITF Singles.

GBC JUNIOR SPORTS INDIVIDUAL OF THE YEAR

Winner: Mairead Sheriff. Mairead wowed Gibraltar at last year’s Island Games winning 4 silvers and one bronze medal at the age of 16, after having limited time to train at the new rifle facility and competing in some disciplines for the first time.

Runner up: Justin Hewitt. Justin has shot to local fame after claiming bronze in the JDC Championships and becoming the first ever youngster to qualify for a senior tournament. He then went on to sign his first ever sponsorship deal later in the year.

GBC SENIOR TEAM OF THE YEAR

Winner: Gibraltar Pistol Pair. The Pistol Team of Stephen Borge and Mario Apap were firing on all cylinders in the Island Games claiming Gold and Silver in the individual events and therefore winning the Gold medal in the Team event.

Runner up: Special Olympics Gibraltar Team. The Special Olympics Team travelled to Abu Dhabi for the Special Olympics World Summer Games and returned home with 18 medals including 8 Golds. They also performed to a very high standard at the 2019 Special Olympics National Games and came away with a host of medals.

GBC JUNIOR TEAM OF THE YEAR

Winner: Gibraltar Rifle Pair. Despite being under 18 years of age, the rifle pair of Mairead Sheriff and Kristina Hewitt showed their class and maturity after winning silver in the ISSF 50m 3 Position Small-bore Rifle Team Open. They pushed aside the majority of their senior competition and will certainly now be classed as ones to watch in the future.

Runner up: Gibraltar Junior Darts Team. The Junior darts team of Jerome Chipol, Sean Negrette, Craig Galliano and Justin Hewitt proved themselves worthy opponents when they finished in the top 16 at the European Youth Cup in Turkey and in the JDC World Cup held here on the rock back in September.

Special Achievement

Awarded to Jamie Stevenson.

This year’s Special Recognition goes to a deserving and inspirational young man. Jamie is a keen young sportsman who’s favourite sports are football and tennis although he has shown his versatility by trying a number of different sports. In 2018, Jamie was diagnosed with a brain tumour and has been travelling back and forth to England to receive treatment. Throughout this tough period, he has continued to participate in sport and has shown everyone that persistence and determination can defeat any obstacle.

Lifetime Achievement

Awarded to Linda Alvarez. Linda arrived on the Rock during the 1980’s as a keen badminton player, but her enthusiasm and competitive edge saw her get involved in several other sports including Pool and Bowling. Once her playing days were over she swiftly made the move ‘upstairs’. She became a key member of the committee which successfully oversaw the Sunshine Games in ’95, and soon after she replaced Freddie Chappory as President. More recently, Linda formed part of the Gibraltar Commonwealth Games Association and was present at the 21st edition of the Games on Gold Coast, Australia. Once again Linda’s determination and passion for local Sports were evident in last year’s highly successful Island Games; Games which have become synonymous with Linda’s name.

VOTING

The GBC Sports Awards Panel's decision has accounted for 50% of the total result.

The remaining 50% has been determined via a public telephone vote.

COMMENT FROM THE GBC SPORTS TEAM:

‘The GBC Sports team congratulates all of this year’s nominees, and particularly the award winners on making 2019 such a memorable year for local sport. The support the GBC Sports Awards receive from the sporting community is exceptional and has been pivotal in the event’s remarkable growth since its reintroduction in 2009. We would also like to thank the general public for voting in such vast numbers, and Gibtelecom for their extremely generous donation to the GBC Open Day.We would have wished to celebrate these great sporting achievements and our ten-year anniversary in a very different manner, but we shall look ahead to next year’s celebrations which shall be bigger and better than ever. We urge you all to keep safe and we look forward to joining you once again on the roads, on the courts and in our stadiums.’

25-03-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR