North’s finest young talent possesses real Star quality
ACHIEVEMENTS OF TOP SPORTING STARLETS SET TO BE HONOURED WITH MAJOR AWARDS AT SPORT NEWCASTLE’S ANNUAL BIG NIGHT
THIRTEEN of the region’s brightest young sports prospects are to become Sport Newcastle’s latest prize guys next week.
They are the 2018 recipients of the charity’s prestigious Rising Stars of Sport Awards, following in the footsteps of illustrious names such as England rugby ace Jonny Wilkinson, former Newcastle United defender Steven Taylor and Commonwealth Games swimmer Chris Cook.
The youngsters will receive their awards at Sport Newcastle’s annual sports dinner at Newcastle Civic Centre on Thursday, March 7.
Here, Grassroots Sport hails the winners - and don’t miss Grassroots Sport over the coming months for in-depth features on those honoured.
ROSIE BELSHAM (golf): The 16-year-old Newcastle School for Girls student (pictured below) already has a wealth of success behind her.
She was selected for England six times in 2018 and is currently ranked fourth in England.
In September she was selected for the national girls’ under18s squad for the 2018/19 season alongside Gosforth Park GC’s Jess Baker, a winner of the Rising Stars of Sport Award last year.
On the back of her England selection, Belsham was also chosen for the Junior Open and the European Young Masters event in Oslo.
She has also been included in the England girls’ squad for 2019 alongside Baker. MARTIN BLAND (trampolining): St Thomas More student Bland had a year to remember in 2018 following his selection for the England junior team and the 2019 England trampoline programme. The 14-year-old from Cullercoats (pictured right) topped the podium in three national competitions at Gillingham, Telford and Sheffield as well as striking silver on his England debut in Frivolten, Sweden.
A member of the Washington-based Apollo Trampoline Club, Bland’s most recent success was victory in the Northern Championships. OSCAR CAUDLE (rugby union): Caudle has a natural size for his position of tight head prop, which resulted in him being selected for England Under-18s in last season’s campaign.
Despite being a late developer, the highlyrated 18-year-old (pictured left) has lots of potential at Newcastle Falcons and looks set to go along way in the game . MEGAN COTTEE (hockey): The 15-year old Royal Grammar School student has represented England at under-16 level and most recently played for England against Germany and Belgium.
Cottee players her club hockey at Morpeth, where she has already played for the ladies’ squad. LOLA DAVISON (swimming): Newcastle Swim team member Davison made a big splash in the pool in 2018, enjoying County Championship glory in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle events.
Davison (pictured above) is also part of the England talent programme for 2019 and has recently qualified for the forthcoming World Junior Trials. DANIEL DIXON (triathlon): Dixon, 16, is a member of the British Triathlon junior talent
squad, having been ranked as the top UK male at the Leeds Abbey Dash in the 10k cyclist category.
From Ulgham, Northumberland, he contested the European Youth Championships and secured fourth place overall in the European junior elite rankings.
The undoubted highlight of his year, however, was the ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup in Riga, Latvia.
The youngest competitor in the 17-19 years category, Dixon claimed his first international victory - despite being up against 70 triathletes older than himself. TOSAN EVBOUMWAN (basketball): Newcastle Eagles’ player Evbuomwan has proved to be hot on the court, having represented England at under-18 level despite being just 16.
He was also called up to represent Team GB at the European Championships last summer.
The Newcastle Royal Grammar School student (pictured above) has played at senior level for Team Newcastle in National League Division One. LAURA NELSON (gymnastics): Whitley Bay gymnast Nelson was ranked No 1 in the county and the region in 2018.
The 13-year-old (pictured right) won the North of England Challenge Cup and was part of the North of England team which came second in the National Team Championships.
She was also one of three youngsters to achieve the qualifying mark for the 2019 Great Britain Championships. JASON NICHOLSON (athletics): Northumbria University student Nicholson (pictured below) represented Team GB against France and Germany, finishing first in the 110m hurdles, and is ranked fourth on the UK all-time list for under-20s in the 110m hurdles category.
He has claimed first-place finishes in a range of hurdles events including at 100m, 110m and 200m. MARIA VOGIATZIS (sailing): Sixteen-yearold Vogiatzis (pictured right) was the
2016 female British junior sailing champion.
She has represented Team GB four times at the
European Championships - ending up fourth in Athens out of 77.
She has also been selected for the British youth squad.
ABBY WHITE (swimming): Eleven-year-old White (pictured above), who studies at Sunderland’s Broadway Primary School, was the 2018 North East Paralympic champion in the 50m and 400m freestyle events.
She also took the honours at the GB Deaf Swimming Nationals, wining one gold medal, two silver medals and one bronze.