TOP level team performances and individual achievements have been celebrated to mark the end of a successful year of school sport.
The cream of The King’s Academy’s talent came together for the annual Sports Awards and Dinner, which recognises performances on the pitch, court, field and track.
Among the highlights were international taekwondo competitor, Harley Harbisher, who has competed for England in Spain and Scotland this year before taking his England number one ranking to Madrid and Korea, and Year 8 student Max Fagan who is U13s team captain for Team GB roller hockey.
There were special mentions for James Fraser, Charlie Graham Abi Foy, Amy Smith, Alex Doyle, Tom Brynn, Max Bashir and Matthew Fraser, who, having progressed through Middlesbrough Schools district teams, have now represented Cleveland Schools football teams in their age groups.
As a member of Grangetown Netball Club, Maria Chambers reached the national Under 14s finals. Maria also represents South Durham and Cleveland County U16s and Team Northumbria U13s.
Three King’s students were selected for the Emmanuel Schools Foundation Lions tour of Scotland.
In athletics, Euan and Imogen Stokes represented Cleveland in the hammer at the inter-counties event in Hexham, while Steven Wheater and Abby Pountain qualified for the next round and went on to represent Cleveland at the New Balance track and field championships.
Abby finished inside the top 30 in the country with a long jump of 4.67 metres and Steven finished tenth in the country with a high jump of 1.84 metres.
Prizes were presented to the most improved competitors and also to the players and athletes of the year in hockey, netball, boys’ and girls’ football, rugby, athletics, cross-country and sports ability.
As well as receiving certificates on stage, students were also treated to a special dinner served by the academy’s catering team.
Principal David Dawes said: “The strength of character, good sportsmanship, tenacity and hard work that success at a high level demands are at the heart of our ethos and it’s very encouraging to see so many students displaying all of these as we recognise some outstanding performances in their chosen sports.”
Award winners:
Most improved hockey players: Evie Harding, Janet Kalambo, Rebecca Wadrop, Abi Foy.
Most improved footballers: Muhammed Muzamil, Evie Harding, Jackson Maleary, Adelaide Atkinson, Adam Bulman, Abby Pountain, Reece Enguita, Hasna Javid.
Most improved netballers: Charlotte Shields, Emma Walton, Abbie Toogood, Abi Foy.
Most improved rugby players: Jacob Horton, Ewan Stokes, Dade Wilson, Riley McPhillips.
Most improved sports ability players: Reece Costello, Samar Begum.
Athletes of the year: Emily Hilton, Lydia Turton, Danica Wheater, Millie Bean.
Footballers of the year: Jake Hood, Lily-May Readman, Spencer McDougall, Olivia Ferguson, Max Taylor, Jenna Carden-Smith, Ben Ford, Abi Foy.
Netballers of the year: Megan Kukah-Pouadeu, Bridie Hodgson, Maria Chambers, Alice Bedford.
Rugby players of the year: Jay Cook, Francis Sayer, Euan Lodge, Kieran Livingstone.
Sports ability athletes of the year: Ethan Cramer, Billie-Jayne Smith.
Athletes of the year: Aaron Harker, Daisy Robson, Ben Johnson, Holly Beck, Noah Robson, Abby Pountain, Robert Bishop, Elanna Carden-Smith.
Cross-country runners of the year: Curtis Johnson, Sophie Tidy, Ben Johnson, Rebecca Ventre, Declan Hardy, Emma Saunders.