Twelve inspirational teenagers have been shortlisted for Panathlon awards in recognition of their achievements over the last 12 months.
Seven competitors have been selected from nominations for Panathlon’s top individual honour, the Jack Petchey Outstanding Achievement Award, which will be presented at the seventh annual ceremony on November 18th.
They will be joined at the Olympic Gallery in John Lewis Stratford City by two potential winners of the Sporting Achievement Award and three candidates for our Young Leaders Award, with all three awards to be presented by Paralympic champion and Panathlon ambassador Liz Johnson.
The inspirational youngsters – listed below – were among thousands of young people involved in the Panathlon Challenge last year as either a competitor or a leader and, whilst our main ethos is about providing sporting opportunities for all and achieving through teamwork, we also like to recognise the outstanding achievements of some of our individual competitors.
The Outstanding Achievement Award was created in 2009 in partnership with the Jack Petchey Foundation, who are Panathlon’s longest-serving supporter.
The Foundation, who have invested over half a million pounds in Panathlon over the last decade, provide grants to projects that benefit young people aged 11 to 25 in London and Essex, so our awards are open to any nominees from this region.
Last year’s winner was Faizan Bidiwala (pictured right) of Little Heath School in Romford, who has Downs Syndrome and underwent a life-saving heart operation just a few months after arriving in England four years ago. Despite the challenges Faizan had to overcome, he has gone on to become a key member of the Redbridge Panathlon team.
Faizan’s story of achievement fits perfectly with the ethos of the Jack Petchey Foundation, who champion achievement and believe that every young person has the potential to achieve in different ways.
The Jack Petchey Outstanding Achievement Award was first awarded in 2009 to recognise the achievements of some of Panathlon’s most inspirational individuals and it has grown in size and stature every year since.
For the first time, all three candidates for this year’s Young Leaders Award are from a single school, Great Baddow High School in Chelmsford, who have fully integrated Panathlon’s leadership programme into their BTEC Sport qualification and whose young leaders have overseen numerous Panathlon competitions, including this year’s inaugural regional swim finals at London’s Olympic Park.
“I’m always inspired by every visit to Panathlon,” said Liz Johnson, “and it’s great to see some of the most inspiring competitors and leaders celebrated at these annual awards. It’s always an honour to be asked to present the awards and I really look forward to seeing all of our shortlisted nominees at the ceremony.”
Outstanding Achievement Award shortlist:
– Levin Dookhun, Riverside School, Haringey
– Toyin Fabusiwa, St Giles School, Croydon (pictured above, left)
– James Feltham, Overton Grange School, Sutton
– Jamie Green, Doucecroft School, Colchester
– Georgina Hart, Jo Richardson School, Barking & Dagenham
– Vivian Onyia, St Angela’s Ursuline, Newham
– Daniel Shah, Parayhouse School, Hammersmith & Fulham
Sporting Achievement Award shortlist:
– Jamie Keat, St Augustines Primary School, Hammersmith & Fulham (pictured, right, with Panathlon ambassador Liz Johnson)
– Rines Shanthakumar, Seven Kings High School, Redbridge
Young Leaders Award shortlist:
– Jack Gair, Great Baddow High School, Chelmsford
– Steve Harrison, Great Baddow High School, Chelmsford
– Lee Hart, Great Baddow High School, Chelmsford
