Paralympic cycling hero Neil Fachie was the big winner at Aberdeen’s Sports Awards 2022 on Tuesday night.
Fachie, 38, was named Sports Achiever of the Year at the Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards-hosted P&J Live ceremony, sponsored by Samsung Electronics UK.
It came after Fachie reclaimed the Tandem B 1km time trial title at last year’s Tokyo Paralympics, matching the gold medal he won at London 2012.
The Granite City sports icon, and pilot Matt Rotherham, set a new world record to beat Great Britain team-mates James Ball and Lewis Stewart to the crown.
Although he couldn’t be at P&J Live in person to collect the honour due to training commitments in Manchester, Fachie accepted the prize via video message.
After beating fellow Tokyo athletes Toni Shaw, Conner Morrison – both para-swimming – and Zoey Clark – who ran in the mixed 400m relay at the Olympic Games – to the Sport Aberdeen-sponsored gong, Fachie said: “What a huge honour,
“Looking at the list of nominees, I’d firstly like to say congratulations to Conner, to Zoey and Toni as well for an amazing Games last year. What a great achievement for you all, and to be amongst you all is phenomenal.
“We’ve got so much success up in the north-east and a big shout out to Kirsty Muir, who has just had great success at the Winter Games in Beijing.
“To be honest, with my achievements last year, I couldn’t have done it without a huge team behind me. I get to stand on the podium, but my thanks goes to all the individuals who were part of the journey.”
Shaw, 18, a bronze medallist in Tokyo at what was her first Paralympics, was highly commended by the judges.
Close to 500 people descended on the city’s state-of-the-art exhibition and conference centre for the first Aberdeen’s Sports Awards since 2019.
Like much of society, the awards were put on hold in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic, with even an initial date for the 2022 ceremony, set for January, falling through.
However, the finalists – assessed on achievements which took place between January 2020 and September 2021 – finally had their moment.
Although 17-year-old Muir’s Winter Olympics freestyle skiing exploits came outside of the nomination period for the 2022 awards, her success in establishing herself as one of the world’s best over the last couple of years had already convinced the judges she deserved to be awarded Young Sports Achiever of the Year, sponsored by Active Balance.
There was also a poignant moment during the ceremony as late Aberdeen Amateur Athletics Club member Marie Dobson, who passed away from cancer, was posthumously awarded the id verde-sponsored Inspiration Award.
The other winners were:
Adult Volunteer of the Year – Andrew Ewen and Daniel Kindness (Kincorth Amateurs/Kincorth Emirates Youth)
Business Community Partner of the Year (sponsored by Atholl Scott) – Central Coaches
Club of the Year (sponsored by ClubSport Aberdeen) – Aberdeen Amateur Athletics Club
Community Sports Project of the Year (sponsored by Burness Paull) – Fit Like Joggers
Community/Participation Coach of the Year (sponsored by Balfour + Manson) – Rachel Watson (grassroots athletics coach)
Judges’ Choice Award – Debbie Greig (triathlete)
Lifetime Achievement (sponsored by Aberdeen Sports Village) – Sandy Roy (football referee)
Performance Coach of the Year (sponsored by Stronachs) – Gregor McMillan (swimming coach. Highly commended: Emma Hunter, Aberdeen FC Women co-manager)
Student Sports Achiever of the Year (sponsored by ITC) – Katie Guest (para-skiing guide)
Team Performance of the Year (sponsored by Samsung) – Aberdeen FC Women (Highly commended: Grampian Girls United Under-13s)
Veteran/Masters Sports Achiever of the Year (sponsored by Bridge of Don Trailers) – James MacGregor (high jumper)
Young Coach of the Year (sponsored by Original 106fm) – Aaron Odentz (long-distance running coach)
Young Volunteer of the Year (sponsored by P&J Live) – Liane Wood (swimming coach/administrator. Highly commended: Jyden Kinnaird, Aberdeen Snowsports Centre)
School Innovation Award (sponsored by sportscotland Active Schools Aberdeen City) – Virtual School
Dave Robertson, of headline sponsors Samsung Electronics UK, said: “On behalf of Samsung Electronics, I would like to express huge congratulations to our many winners.
“You should all be thoroughly proud of yourselves and your organisations, and I am truly honoured that Samsung have been able to help celebrate your success as part of such a wonderful occasion.”
The category sponsors for Aberdeen’s Sports Awards 2022:
Keep an eye on the Evening Express social media channels – as well as the Press and Journal website – for more on the Aberdeen’s Sports Awards 2022 winners, as well as pictures and video from the P&J Live ceremony, over the coming days.
