Star trio honoured at Essex awards

10:25am Friday 9th November 2007

KEY players on the south-east Essex sports scene were celebrating last night after scooping accolades at the glittering 2007 Essex Sports Awards in Chelmsford.

More than 200 dignitaries, athletes, coaches and others involved in sports in Essex saw 18-year old Canvey Island Swimming Club star Chloe Williams collect the Young Sports Personality award.

Basildon's 19-year old hurdling sensation Gianni Frankis picked up the Olympic Hopeful award, while 14-year old swimmer Jo-Jo Cranfield from Southend won the Paralympic Hopeful award.

Frankis was also shortlisted for the Sports Personality award and Chloe Williams made the final three in the Paralympic Hopeful category.

Claire Capon, a 15-year old footballer from Basildon just missed out on the Gifted and Talented award, while Graham Pearl, a key figure at Southend Wheelers Cycling Club was a finalists in the Unsung Hero category.

And Earls Hall Junior School Football Team from Southend narrowly missed out on the Team of the Year award.

Each received the honour of being Highly Recommended in their respective categories.

In addition to her success last night Williams has been shortlisted for both the Disabled Sports Personality and the Young Sports Personality awards at the regional BBC East Sports Awards at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford on Monday.

The Essex Sports Awards, hosted by sportessex, celebrate and recognise the very best in sport in Essex and those people who participate, support its provision and invest personally in its ongoing development.

The 2007 awards ceremony follows the successful inaugural Essex Sports Awards last year, and similar awards take place across the East of England and around the country.

There were nine awards up for grabs last night, each with three finalists shortlisted from a record number of nominations.

Angela Littlewood, director of sportessex, said: "It has been one of the most successful years ever for sport in Essex, a year in which real progress has been made at all levels of sport in terms of facilities, coaching, participation and co-ordination.

"I'd like to congratulate all the award winners and nominees for their achievements, and would also like to say a great big thank you to every single participant, every club member, every volunteer, to everyone involved in sport in the county."