2018 JLT Gymnastics Ireland National Awards - Winners Announced!

Irish Sport HQ, Dublin: Gymnastics Ireland is pleased to announce the winners of the 2018 National Awards in partnership with JLT Ireland. The Awards Panel consisted of Ciaran Gallagher, CEO Gymnastics Ireland; Andrew Coulter, Gymnastics Ireland Board Member and Mary O'Connor, CEO Federation of Irish Sport.

Awards open for nomination by membership

After receiving huge interest online from the Gymnastics Ireland membership for the 6 open nomination awards the winners are as follows:

• Coach of the Year – Club: Flavius Koczi - Janz GC
• Unsung Hero: Vincent Diffley - Janz GC and Aisling Kenna - Old Bawn GC
• Non-Competitive Club of the Year: DP Gymnastics Club
• Display Club of the Year: Douglas GC
• Inclusive Club of the Year: Tie - Wexford GC and Coolmine GC
• Club Innovation Award: Arklow GC

Awards made by direct appointment

The following category winners were selected directly by the awards panel who took into consideration key results/achievements throughout the year...

• Competitive Club of the Year: Leader GC
• Gymnast of the Year: Rhys McClenaghan
• Rising Star: Emma Slevin
• Coach of the Year - International: Tie...

o Luke Carson - Rhys McClenaghan's personal coach

o Sally Batley and Giacomo Camiciotti - Emma Slevin's personal coaches

• Young Coach of the Year - National: Matthew O'Connor
• Club Governance Award: Excel GC
• Club Social & Digital Content Award: Phoenix GC
• Safe Club of the Year: Gorey GC

Special Recognition Awards

Throughout the year, certain individuals involved in our sport make a special contribution and have a major impact on the development of gymnastics in Ireland. Gymnastics Ireland wishes to acknowledge that contribution by presenting those individuals with a ‘Special Recognition Award’. Here are the names of the individuals who will receive a Special Recognition Award for 2018:

• Judges/Technical

o Mairead Kavanagh - Ireland's first official elected to an international governing body as elected to the UEG Women's Technical Committee

o Lisa Boyle - for judge support for the Gymnastics Ireland events and performance programmes in 2018 for the Acrobatics discipline

• Gymnasts

o Adam Steele - Finalist at 2018 FIG World Cup in Mersin

o Andrew Smith - Finalist at 2018 FIG World Cup in Mersin

o Aoibhe O'Connor – In memory of gymnast Aoibhe O'Connor who was an inspiration for everyone and whose involvement and contribution to the GymABLE programme has left a positive impact on the gymnastics community and in her club, which will forever remain.

• Coaches

o Will Banthorpe - Adams Steele's personal coach

o Sergey Sizhanov - Andrew Smith's personal coach

• Media - for support and continued coverage of gymnastics in 2018

o RTE's Cliona O'Leary (Deputy Head TV Sport) and Evanne Ní Chuilinn (Sports Broadcaster)

o Cliona Foley (free-lance print and online journalist)

o John Greene (Sunday Independent Sports Editor)

Congratulations to all our awards winners!

Gymnastics Ireland looks forward to welcoming all our winners to the 2018 JLT Gymnastics Ireland National Awards on Saturday 17th November at the Radisson Blu Hotel on Golden Lane in Dublin.

Further details and information on the National Awards including ticket sales will be announced shortly.

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