OLYMPIC gold sailor Paul Goodison was riding the crest of a wave again today – after a major honour at The Star and St John Sports Awards.
He won the 2008 Olympic Achievement Award, sponsored by Sheffield Lighting The Flame For Sport.
Goodison, the 30-year-old Sheffield-born sailor from Rotherham, won gold in the laser class at the Beijing Olympics.
The Ulley Sailing Club star is currently world number two, European and British Champion.
He was at a wedding and unable to attend the awards ceremony at Ponds Forge but his proud parents, Roy and Cynthia received the award on his behalf.
Roy said: We're very proud of him. But I'm a true Yorkshireman. It wasn't until he passed over the finish line that I could believe it. I just burst into tears. Me, Paul Gascoigne and Dickie Bird are going to form our own club.''
Cynthia, who watched it happen live in Beijing, added: "It was fantastic – a wonderful experience to be out there.''
The glittering Edge Telecom sponsored Sports Awards, hosted by BBC Look North presenter Christa Ackroyd, recognised sporting excellence of all kinds – with the spotlight also on amateurs and business, as well as OIympic heroes, football superstars, boxing idols, cricket legends and other sporting greats.
Other finalists for the 2008 Olympic Achievement Award, sponsored by Sheffield Lighting The Flame For Sport, were:
Ed Clancy: The Barnsley-born 23-year-old was part of the men's cycling pursuit team which won gold for Team GB in the Beijing Olympics – and the gold medal pursuit team in the World Track Championships in Manchester earlier in 2008.
James DeGale: The 22-year-old boxer, who trains with Terry Edwards at EIS – Sheffield, won gold in the middleweight division at the Beijing Olympics.
Sarah Stevenson: The 25-year-old from Doncaster's Allstars Club won Team GB's first ever Taekwondo medal, with a bronze at the Beijing Olympics. She narrowly missed out on gold in controversial circumstances. Sarah also won gold at the 2008 Dutch and Belgian Opens.
For more about the Sports Awards, a full list of winners and video clips, click here.For more information about St John Ambulance please visit www.sja.org.uk or call 08700 10 49 50.
For a full report and photos see The Star on Friday, October 10, 2008.What do you think? Post your comments below. READ MORE Blades Watch 08-09 - The Season So FarOwls Watch 08-09 - The Season So FarWatch Premiership highlights, international football, golf, tennis, darts and much moreFootball headlinesMore BladesMore OwlsMore SpireitesMore RoversMore RedsMore MillersMore Ice HockeyMore rugby leagueMore rugby unionMore boxingSports columnistsAll sport categories The full article contains 463 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
