Earlier this year, the JC launched the Daniel Sacks Memorial Award for Outstanding Young Athletics Achievement. We have attempted to discover and record all performances by UK Jewish athletes aged 11-16 in adjudicated competitions and to encourage wide participation within the open athletics scene. We can now announce the winners for this first year of the award.

The girls winner is middle-distance star Danni Newman, recently turned 15. Shaftesbury Barnet athlete Newman competed mainly at 800m, where her achievements included breaking 2:20 and winning the Middlesex Schools title. At the JCC Games in Denver, she won five golds at distances ranging from 200m to 3,000m.

The boys award is taken jointly by sprinter Leo Kaye and middle-distance runner Sam Shindler-Glass, both aged 14. Both competed regularly in various events for their clubs, Shaftesbury Barnet and Ealing & Southall respectively. Kaye recorded a fine 24.4 seconds for 200m and won the Barnet Schools Championship, whilst Shindler-Glass achieved an equally impressive 4:32.3 for 1,500m and won the Middlesex Schools title.

The award has brought to light the achievements of several other young athletes. Ellie Edwards, 13, who has recently transferred from Sale to Trafford Harriers, competed well over 100m and 200m, recording 13.5 and 27.6 respectively. Chloe Greenberg of JFS and Harrow won Brent Schools titles at both 800m and javelin, whilst Natasha Collins, also of JFS, won both Brent Schools and JCC titles and competed in sprints, 800m, hurdles and high jump. A bright prospect amongst the boys is Natan Bloom of Shaftesbury and Hasmonean. He recorded 5:13.9 for 1,500m while still aged 11. Amongst high jumpers, Joe Ross scaled 1.80m in winning the Under 17 title at the JCC Games.

Zach Stern came third in the same competition with 1.57m. Natanel Fouladbakhsh, 13, of JFS won the Brent Schools title and achieved 1.45m in the Middlesex Championships.

Simon Zeffert, 14, won three golds, a silver and a bronze in the JCC Games, the gold medal performances comprising 12.52 in the 100m, 25.50 in 200m and 5.15m in the long jump.

Fellow Year 9 sprinters Sammy Zevovabeli of JFS and Jake Amron of Shaftesbury also achieved good results during the year. Zevovabeli came third in the Brent Schools 200m in 25.19 while Amron ran 100m in 12.7 and 200m in 26.55 in Young Athletes League meetings.

Another eye-catching performer was Nick Davis, 16, of Haydon School, Pinner and Harrow AC. He competed widely during the season at 400 m, recording a best time of 53.63.

Full details of all known performances, together with photo features on some of the young athletes themselves, are supplied on the award website www.danielsacksaward.org.uk. For further information contact Brian Sacks at brianzsacks@gmail.com