Talent and tenacity is celebrated in champion style at 2025 Leeds Sports Awards

Organised by Sport Leeds and Leeds City Council, the ceremony is held each year to celebrate the achievements of athletes – of all ages and levels – as well as coaches, administrators and volunteers.

And the 2025 edition of the event – hosted at Leeds’s Carriageworks Theatre – did exactly that, with close to 20 different awards being presented to some extremely deserving recipients.

The evening’s winners included Leeds Rhinos Wheelchair Rugby League coach and former player James Simpson, who took home the coveted Sporting Pride of Leeds title.

Previous recipients of the award – which recognises work done by an individual, club or organisation to raise the profile of the city as a centre of sporting excellence – include Rob Burrow, Eddie Gray and Josh Warrington.

A Lifetime Achievement Award, meanwhile, went to Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington. The same award was presented posthumously to former Rhinos chief scout Bob Pickles.

Joan Young’s tireless work supporting netball across the city was recognised with a Special Contribution Award.

Local, national and international athletics stalwart Dr Ian Richards and City of Leeds Diving Club fundraisers Fiona Croft and Becky Simmonds were all winners in the Outstanding Sports Volunteer category.

There were awards, too, for local stars of the Olympics and Paralympics, including Georgie Brayshaw, Katy Marchant, Tom Pidcock, Hannah Cockroft and Kadeena Cox.

Crossgates Harriers took first place in the Community Club category, with a highly-commended mention going to Methley Athletic AFC.

Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said:

“The Leeds Sports Awards is one of the highlights of our city’s sporting calendar and an event that means a huge amount to many people.

“It’s an opportunity to salute the sporting community as a whole, with the important contribution made by grassroots organisations – as well as volunteers and other unsung heroes – being rightfully celebrated alongside the high-profile achievements of Leeds Rhinos, Leeds United and our Olympians and Paralympians.

“Congratulations to all the winners and nominees at this year’s awards, you have done yourself and the city proud.”

FULL LIST OF WINNERS AND ‘HIGHLY COMMENDED’ RECIPIENTS

Young Sportsperson (sponsored by Technogym)

Winner: Yaried Alem

Highly commended: Matilda Potter and Amy Wright               

Young Disability Sportsperson (Sponsored by Technogym)

Winner: Oliver Porter     

Highly commended: Lucas Town               

Sportsperson (Sponsored by Technogym)

Winners: Georgie Brayshaw, Katy Marchant and Tom Pidcock

Disability Sportsperson (Sponsored by Technogym)

Winners: Hannah Cockroft and Kadeena Cox

School Achievement (Sponsored by YPO Sports)

Winner: St Theresa’s Catholic Primary School

Highly commended: Dave Curtis                                  

Community Coach (Sponsored by Evans Homes)

Winner: Charlotte Williams

Highly commended: Elaine Brown and Pete Makowski

Community Club (Sponsored by Evans Homes)

Winner: Crossgates Harriers

Highly commended: Methley United AFC

Student Sport Champion (Sponsored by Leeds Trinity University)

Winner: Max Burgin

Highly commended: Luke Whitehouse                                               

Outstanding Sports Volunteer (Sponsored by Rosterfly)

Winners: Dr Ian Richards, Fiona Croft and Becky Simmonds

Inspirational Community Champion (Sponsored by University of Leeds)

Winner: Come Outside – Jovanni Sterling and Rob Lattibeaudiere

Highly commended: Anthony Hall

Performance Coach (Sponsored by Yorkshire Sport Foundation)

Winner: Dave Murray

Highly commended: Rhys Davey, Paul Moseley and Adam Smallwood

Performance Club (Sponsored by Weetwood Hall Hotel)

Winner: City of Leeds Diving Club

Highly commended: Leeds Gymnastics Club

Sustainability Champion (Sponsored by Zoggs)

Winner: K.E.E.P.

Highly commended: Yorkshire Cricket Foundation                                         

Sporting Pride of Leeds (sponsored by first direct arena)

Winner: James Simpson

Lifetime Achievement Award (Sponsored by Leeds City Council)

Winner: Gary Hetherington

Posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award (Sponsored by Leeds City Council)

Winner: Bob Pickles

Special Contribution Award (Sponsored by Leeds City Council)

Winner: Joan Young

Note to editors:

Sport Leeds was established in 2002 and has since become a dynamic sports network with a strong reputation in the city and region. It serves as the strategic partnership for organisations involved in promoting and developing sports and active recreation in Leeds. The network includes professional and amateur sports clubs, universities, colleges, school clusters and other important sporting organisations from within the city, region and beyond.

ENDS