Havering Sports Council honoured the borough's sporting heroes of 2021 at their annual awards ceremony at Upminster Golf Club, sponsored by BATS of Ilford.
The Junior Sports competitor of the year prize, sponsored by West & Coe Funeral Directors, went to Havering Athletic Club's Stephanie Okoro, who won English Schools and England Athletics' 300m hurdles titles and a Home Counties international in a championship best 41.6 seconds.
Stephanie Okoro was represented by her mother as she won Junior Sports Competitor of The Year at the Havering Sports Council Awards 2022 at Upminster Golf Club (Image: ©TGS Phototgsphoto.co.uk+44 1376 553468)
Okoro also shone in 80m hurdles, 200m, 400m and long jump and beat Redden Court School pupil Lenny O'Sullivan - who captained Essex at football and signed for Ipswich Town under-14s - to the award.
Lenny O'Sullivan was runner-up in the Junior Sports Competitor of The Year category at the Havering Sports Council Awards 2022 at Upminster Golf Club (Image: ©TGS Photo
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The Sports competitor of the year award, sponsored by MDS Printers Limited of Upminster, was claimed by Jon Warren, who specialises in long distance triathlon events and pipped Havering AC's long-serving Jason Lendon - a British National Masters 3,000m steeplechase champion.
Jon Warren, winner of Sports Competitor of The Year at the Havering Sports Council Awards 2022 at Upminster Golf Club (Image: ©TGS Photo
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Havering Triathlon Club's Warren set a personal best of 4:30.30 at the Cotswold 113-mile event, won his age group in a 140-mile plus Ironman Triathlon and was second in a Double Ironman, while also clocking 3:14 at the London Marathon.
Jason Lendon, runner-up in the Sports Competitor of The Year at the Havering Sports Council Awards 2022 at Upminster Golf Club (Image: ©TGS Photo
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The Disability Sports competitor of the year prize, sponsored by the Beadle family, went to Rebecca O'Rourke who won 1,500m silver at the England Senior Championships, despite still being a junior, and beat her 800m personal best three times for Havering AC to rank third in the UK in the T20 class.
Rebecca O'Rourke, winner of Disability Sports Competitor of The Year at the Havering Sports Council Awards 2022 at Upminster Golf Club (Image: ©TGS Photo
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O'Rourke retained her place in the British Athletics Paralympic Development Academy and pipped Olly Beadle, who was bidding for a hat-trick in this category after another year on the tennis court.
Beadle won double gold at the high standard Gosling tournament and repeated the feat at the National Learning Disability competition in Sunderland - while also playing for Essex Disability at cricket.
Oliver Beadle, runner-up in the Disability Sports Competitor of The Year at the Havering Sports Council Awards 2022 at Upminster Golf Club (Image: ©TGS Photo
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Winners of the junior competitor, competitor and disability sports competitor of the year awards also received cheques for £200, sponsored by Lodge Farm Tennis Club.
Sports Volunteer of the year honours, sponsored by Havering mayor Cllr John Mylod, went to 15-year-old Katie Ennis, who won the England Athletics young volunteer of the year award and London Region award after officiating at 12 separate athletics meetings, while also serving as an off-ice member of the Romford Junior Ice Hockey Club.
Katie Ennis, winner of Sports Volunteer of The Year at the Havering Sports Council Awards 2022 at Upminster Golf Club (Image: ©TGS Photo
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And Romford Town Swimming Club's Angela Eguakhide was also credited with keeping the club afloat during the pandemic as their Covid officer, undertaking risk assessments, setting up protocols and sourcing online activities for swimmers, such as strength and conditioning classes, yoga and quizzes.
Angela Eguakhide was runner-up in the Sports Volunteer of The Year category at the Havering Sports Council Awards 2022 at Upminster Golf Club (Image: ©TGS Photo
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Having lifted the FA Trophy at Wembley Stadium, Hornchurch Football Club were named Sports Club of the Year after producing a string of upsets against higher-ranked opponents en route to the final.
The success of Mark Stimson's side was acknowledged by Havering Council with an open-top bus tour around Hornchurch and ensured they pipped Tigers Junior Football Club, founded 25 years ago, to the award sponsored by Moments of Memory Photography.
Lewwis Spence received the award on behalf of the Urchins, alongside secretary Norman Posner and Terry Fisher.
Hornchurch FC, represented by Lewwis Spence, Terry Fisher and Norman Posner, won Sports Club of The Year at the Havering Sports Council Awards 2022 at Upminster Golf Club (Image: ©TGS Photo
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Tigers JFC now fields over 50 years each weekend, for 800 boys and girls, and won a London Sports award recently, with ambitions of moving into the own ground and entering adult non-league football.
Tigers Junior FC were runners-up in the Sports Club of The Year category at the Havering Sports Council Awards 2022 at Upminster Golf Club (Image: ©TGS Photo
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The Senior School team of the Year prize, sponsored by Brentwood M&E Services Ltd, went to Redden Court's under-12 indoor athletics team who won borough and East London titles, while the Primary School prize, sponsored by Cllr Melvin Wallace, went to Gidea Park Primary School's girls' football team, who won all of their games.
Redden Court's Under-12 Indoor Athletics Team won Senior School Team of The Year at the Havering Sports Council Awards 2022 at Upminster Golf Club (Image: ©TGS Photo
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Finally, the Doug Riden Lifetime Achievement award, sponsored by McDonalds Restaurants of Romford, and presented to a Havering resident with a minimum of 15 years service of borough sport, went to Moira Barber.
Gidea Park Primary School's Year 5 & 6 Girls Football Team won Primary School Team of The Year at the Havering Sports Council Awards 2022 at Upminster Golf Club (Image: ©TGS Photo
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Involved in karate for over 40 years, Barber reached sixth dan and international status, winning a host of medals and also running clubs to help hundreds of youngsters to succeed.
Barber held online fitness sessions and set other challenges during Covid restrictions, then others in local parks, and ensured these continued when taken ill herself.
"There should be more people like Moria in sport, inspiring others to have a go, get involved, get active and keep healthy," said a leading member of Havering's karate community.
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