RISING athletics star Jessica Hopkins said winning the Young Sports Personality of the Year Award at the Active Braintree Sports Awards was a “phenomenal” way to cap another stunning year.

The 16-year-old from Witham, who is a pupil at Maltings Academy, claimed the top honour for the district’s young sportspeople at a gala ceremony at the Braintree Arts Theatre after two years of narrowly missing out.

Having been highly-commended in 2016 and 2017, Hopkins’ achievement in finishing 2018 as the UK’s number one-ranked under-17 heptathlete earned her the prize.

She said: “It’s amazing – it’s three years that I’ve been coming to the awards and I’ve been highly-commended the last two times, so to win it this year is lovely.

“Being up against such talented athletes in this category, it’s amazing to finally get the award myself.

“It’s a phenomenal feeling.

“It was a challenging season for me as I had to come back from injuries and illness and to finish as the number one in the UK, with PBs (personal bests) and now getting this award, it is amazing.

“There have been so many highlights.

“The National Championships have to be one as I didn’t have much training going into it and to come away with first place was pretty special. Then to cap it all with an award like this is phenomenal – it’s an incredible feeling.”

The Coach of the Year award went to Braintree Basketball Club’s Jazz Stark, who was thrilled to get recognised for the work she does with the club’s teams, if a little reluctant to find herself put into the spotlight.

Stark said: ““It’s shocking really to get the award in all honesty because I don’t do what I do for recognition – I do it for the love of the kids and the sport.

“So when I found out I’d been nominated, my reaction was ‘no I don’t want any recognition for what I do’.

“It’s nice to get it though.

“There is a lot of hard work that goes in and it’s also nice to be the lady of our club and to get the coach’s award.

“We have some fantastic players and you feel like a proud parent when you see the young players doing well.

“No matter what their ability, we will help them be as good as they want to be and it’s seeing the smiles on their faces that I get the joy from.

“I don’t like taking any praise, because I always say it is the kids that do it.

“I only tell them what to do – they are the ones who put it into action and I love to see them happy and knowing that I helped them do that.”

Stark wasn’t the only winner from Braintree Basketball Club as Ben Philips and Reefe Ellis were joint winners of the Young Community Volunteer Award.

Both who have been involved with the club since it began as an after school club in 2012 and now helping to coach the under-11s as well as attending their own training sessions and games.

Also being recognised for his tireless efforts within his club was Halstead Road Runners’ Andy Carter, who won the Lifetime Services Award.

Carter has been involved with the club since it was formed in 1985, serving on the committee for more than 25 years and his dedication in helping to run their participation in cross-country leagues and events.

He said: “I was a founder member and I’m so chuffed that people in the club think so highly of me.

“I do what I do because I enjoy it and not for any other reward as I’m passionate about running and involving people of all abilities and levels.

“That’s the ethos of the club and it’s nice to be recognised by the club as they sent in the nomination.

“I have a particular passion for off-road running and I’m heavily involved in the club’s cross-country running. I still run regularly at the age of nearly 62 – perhaps not as fast as I used to – but I still get out there and enjoy passing on my knowledge and experience to others coming through.

“I just love seeing people enjoy running and I’ve got no plans to stop.

“I’ll keep going as long as my knees let me.”