TAEKWONDO CHAMPION, WINS OCS YOUNG SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR 2016

Leah Moorby, 17, from Keighley, Yorkshire, was voted OCS Young Sportsperson of the Year at an Awards ceremony held at City Hall, hosted by BBC Sport commentator and former international gymnast, Gabby Logan, and attended by a host of sporting personalities.

Heading off to the World Championships in Vancouver in ten days’ time, Leah is definitely one of our sports stars of the future. Two years ago in Taiwan, she was the youngest GB team member at only 14 and still won a Bronze in the Junior World Championships there and is hoping to better that effort in Vancouver.  She has been British Junior Champion for the past four years and this September she also won the British Senior Championship.

In partnership with SportsAid, since the Awards began in 1998, OCS has made sports bursaries to nearly 250 deserving young people. The Awards give outstanding young athletes recognition and support to help them with the strain of training, travelling and competing; they also offer independent recognition and financial assistance at the start of their journey when, more often than not, parents and guardians are the solitary sponsor, and this can make a huge difference.

This summer, in Rio, 13 former OCS Young Sportsperson Awards finalists took part in the Olympics and Paralympics and brought back four gold, three silver and one bronze medal.  Former Award winners include gymnasts Louis Smith and Beth Tweddle.

Tim Lawler, chief executive of SportsAid commented: “What an amazing year 2016 has been to celebrate our pride and passion in British sport.  Success like that doesn’t just happen – it takes incredible commitment and dedication and a little bit of help along the way.  The OCS Young Sportsperson Awards provides some of that help, making a telling contribution for young athletes, enabling them to step up to their personal best.  OCS is a fantastic partner to SportsAid and we are very proud to be working with them to help direct this help and support as effectively as possible.”

www.ocs.co.uk/ocs-young-sportsperson-awards