VIDEO: The 2012 Luton Sports Network Awards

Natalee Hazelwood and Mark Wood were on hand to film an exclusive video as Mark Richardson, Olympic silver medallist in the 4x400m relay at Atlanta in 1996, gave an inspiring speech and helped to hand out the awards.

Chairman Clive Robins hailed the event and the number of nominations they’d had, saying: “I thought it was very successful. We had the best response we’ve had for years for nominations and everybody enjoyed themselves.”

Team Luton’s Abby Gee won the Young Sportswoman after success at the 300m National Championship, where she also came third in the 200m.

She won gold in the School Games in the 300m in a time that ranked her as number one in UK, won gold in the relay and is also county and county schools champion in the 100m and 300m.

Young Sportsman went to SALTO gymnast and coach Elliott Browne. In 2012 he retained his title as British Gymnastics Elite 4 Men’s tumbling champion, despite moving up an age group.

He also entered the British Open Tumbling Tournament for the first time and won two gold and a bronze medal in the 15-16 age group.

Most importantly he caught the eye of Team GB’s national tumbling coach and has been invited to join the national squad this year.

Stockwood Park Poachers U15s were named as the Young Sports Team after making it to the finals of the Bedfordshire Cup, East Midlands Shield and East Midlands League Cup. while five players play for the county squad and were part of the 22-man squad named regional champions.

Club Member Of The Year went to Luton Athletic Club stalwart Mike Hardy, who is currently club secretary and officials secretary.

He organises all the club’s home matches, including four track and field meetings and the 1,000-plus entry cross-country event.

He arranges transport for away matches, looks after kit orders and stepped in for the chairman when he was a games maker for the Olympics.

Sports Club went to Team Luton Swimming Club who came first in the County Championships, winning 213 medals, including 78 golds from 24 different swimmers.

In addition to the team success, there has been an increase in individual success.

A total of 75 swimmers qualified for the County Championships, 37 reached for the Eastern Region Championships and picked up 11 medals including three golds. Three swimmers also achieved National qualification times and three disability swimmers qualified for the Paralympics trials, while Bob Outtram was selected to run the control room for the entire Paralympic competition.

Luton Senior Ladies Athletic Team were named as the top Sports Team after they retained the British Athletics League Plate trophy, won by them for the first time in 2011.

Five years dedicated serviice by Paul Main has helped him to rejuvenate Luton & Dunstable Squash Club and the sport within the county as he was named Sports Administrator/Official.

He was instrumental in attracting funding from the Sport’s National Governing Body to help refurbish the site at Lewsey Park Sports Village, with Luton & Dunstable Squash Club as a key partner at the heart of driving participation.

Athletics coach Catrina Lewis, who had five athletes selected for the English Schools finals in Gateshead, was named Sports Coach.

Canoeist Mallory Franklin was crowned Sports Woman Of The Year. At just 18 she has qualified for a place in the GB Senior team and claimed silver medals at the Senior European Championships and Senior World Cup events in Prague and Cardiff.

Powerlifter John Feehan won his 43rd world title in November as he was named Sports Man Of The Year.

He went up from his normal 100kg weight class to 110kg and gave away nearly two stone as he beat the Russian open class world champion and record holder in Cape Canaveral USA.

He set new world records in both classes and also he won overall champion of champions award, which ranks him number one of all world champions.

Feehan is also the only British power lifter to have been inducted into the power lifting hall of fame.

Service To Sport Awards went to dedicated recipients Chris Ryan (hockey), Andy Piggins (football), Graham Marshall (swimming) and Mansoor Rathor (cricket).

Ryan plays and umpires at Luton Hockey Club, Piggins is integral to the running of the Chiltern Junior Sevens League, Marshall has trained and taught hundreds of people to swim and Rathor has held various positions at Lutonian Cricket club for 20 years, while has also been heavily involved in local football scene.

The prestigious Geoff Battlebury Service To Sport Award was won by Luton Farley ABC’s Noel McIvor.

Finally a special Service To Sport And To The Luton Sports Network award went to Roy Holloway, who for many years ran the diving/life saving and synchronised swimming club Kingfishers and also organised the sports awards.

For a full list of results and pictures, see the News/Gazette on sale now.