IT’S been another eventful sporting year in the borough’s schools, with the stars set to be honoured at the Islington Schools Sports Presentation evening at the Town Hall later this month.
And this year the Gazette has teamed up with the Islington Schools Sports Association (ISSA) to allow you to vote for two of the prestigious top awards.
The ISSA awards had a successful inaugural presentation last year, replacing the old Islington Sports Council awards that had not been presented for over a decade.
And this year the ceremony will take place at Islington Town Hall in Upper Street on Wednesday, June 18, where the cream of sporting talent from across the borough will congregate.
There are 16 awards in total, including children from the borough's primary, secondary and special schools, all of which will be revealed on the evening.
Here, the Gazette profiles the nominees for the Key Stage Four (Years 9,10 &11) 'Sportsman of the Year' and KS4 'Sportswoman of the Year' awards.
There are the seven nominees for the Sportsman award and four for the Sportswoman award, all pupils at Islington schools who have excelled on the sports field in the past year, from footballers and athletes to boxers and basketball players.
Just vote for who you think should be the winner – you can vote for either or both categories, whether they are a friend, team-mate, or just the person you think most deserves to win the award.
The voting system is open now and will close on Monday, June 16.
Ryan Wenzel
School: Holloway
Sports: Athletics, Football
Year Highlight:
Gold medal at Middlesex Indoor Athletics Championships 2008
Nii-Amaa Ollennu
School: St Aloysius
Sports: Football, Cricket
Year Highlight:
Winning Gazette Cup at Emirates Stadium and the LSFA Bliss Trophy
Stephen O'Hara
School: St Aloysius
Sports: Football, Athletics
Year Highlight:
Represented Leyton Orient FC at under-18
and under-16 level
Brett O'Callaghan
School: Islington Arts & Media
Sports: Boxing, Football
Year Highlight:
Reaching the London final of the 2008 Junior ABA Championships
Jonathon John
School: Highbury Grove
Sports: Football, Cricket
Year Highlight:
Joined the academy of Wycombe Wanderers
Football Club
Christian Bulembi
School: St Aloysius
Sports: Football, Athletics
Year Highlight:
Scored four goals in Gazette Cup Final at Emirates Stadium
Jesse Chuku
School: St Aloysius
Sport: Basketball
Year Highlight:
Called up for both England under-16 and under-15 squads
Taniska Smith
School: Islington Arts & Media
Sports: Athletics, Basketball
Year Highlight:
Represented Southern England Schools at Lea Valley in April
Dainii Elliott
School: Holloway
Sports: Athletics, Basketball
Year Highlight:
Voted ‘Most Valuable Player’ for Islington basketball champions
Sharna Giordani
School: Highbury Grove
Sports: Football, Table-tennis
Year Highlight: Islington champion in 2008 table-tennis competition
Natalie Howard
School: Elizabeth Garrett Anderson
Sport: Football
Year Highlight:
Selected for the senior Tottenham Ladies squad for next season