Nominations are now open for this year's Mid Ulster Sports Awards recognising the district's sporting talent

The awards recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements in the local sports community and will acknowledge the outstanding contribution of coaches and volunteers who help build on the district's reputation for sporting excellence.

The Sports Awards will also celebrate and champion people with disabilities in sports. The awards will highlight the wide-ranging levels and variety of sports that are delivered in the district that make the sporting world a more diverse and inclusive place.

The awards ceremony will be held at the Burnavon, Cookstown, on Tuesday, March 26.

Speaking at the launch, Chair of the Council, Councillor Dominic Molloy said: “I’m thrilled that Mid Ulster District Council is honouring those in the community who have achieved sporting success in the past year with an esteemed event in March. It is time to shine a light on our local talent and acknowledge them at our Sports Awards.

“I hope that a lot of organisations and people will be inspired to take the time to submit a nomination to honour the abundance of outstanding sports people in our district. It is no small accomplishment to put in the amount of training hours they do, often while managing other responsibilities in their lives, We also look to recognise those unsung heroes whose valuable technical support and coaching abilities are not only vital to succeed but an inspiration to others”.

Nomination categories are now open and will feature a variety of categories encompassing a wide range of sports, Categories will include: Sports Person of the Year, Young Sports Person of the Year Award, Disability Sports Person of the Year, Team of the Year, Club of the Year, Coach of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, and Unsung Hero of the Year.

Nominees for each category will be carefully judged by an independent panel of judges and the winners will be selected based on their outstanding accomplishments, sportsmanship, and impact on the local sports scene.

Nominations are open and must be submitted online before 4 pm on February 5. To submit a nomination visit the council website.