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Among the honours handed out at this year’s Medway Sports Awards will be at least one inductee into the Hall of Fame.
Boxing referee Ian John-Lewis and Winter Paralympic gold medallist Charlotte Evans were both inducted into Medway’s Hall of Fame in 2018.
After hanging up his gloves John-Lewis stayed loyal to the sport, becoming the youngest A-star referee and going on to become the first black British boxing referee to officiate a heavyweight world title fight.
John-Lewis said at the time: “I didn’t expect this, it’s fantastic. I’m Medway born and bred, coming from Strood.
“Sport has been so good for me and this is amazing.”
As guide for visually-impaired skier Kelly Gallagher, Evans won gold in the women’s Super-G at the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
“I’m really proud to receive this award,” she said. “It’s a massive honour to put Medway on the map, especially for a sport that not many people know much about. It’s made me even prouder to have represented Medway.”
Evans joined the judging panel for the awards and has no shortage of enthusiasm for promoting Medway’s sporting talent.
“I will continue to make sure that we champion sport in our area and support everything that’s being showcased,” she added.
“It’s such a positive thing that Medway can provide this. It happens every two years and it gives us a chance to recognise what amazing things people do in Medway.
“It’s proved exceptional what people are doing over so many different sports and it shows what can happen when you give people a chance in sport.”
They join the likes of Andy Hessenthaler, Paul Nihill and Liz McVeigh in the Hall of Fame.
There’s still time to enter this year’s awards. The Medway Sports Awards are organised by Medway Council and supported by the Medway Messenger.
The awards cover achievements during the period October 1, 2018 to October 31, 2022.
Nominations close on October 31 and can be made at www.medway.gov.uk/sportsawards where you can also find out more about the categories.