Maccabi GB have started the search to find the community’s top Jewish sportsperson.

In partnership with UJIA, MGB are inviting nominations for people who have had a major achievement or advancement within their chosen sport in the past two years.

The awards offer an opportunity for the community to honour and reward outstanding Jewish athletes dedicated to their sport. These will be the ninth awards to have taken place since they started in 1993.

There are four categories: Pentland Senior Sportsperson of the Year Award, Jewish Chronicle Junior Sportsperson of the Year Award (aged 18 or under as of March 14, 2010), UJIA Team of the Year and the Richard Urban Lifetime Achievement Award.

Triathlete Lara Nyman was the recipient of the JC Junior Sportsperson trophy in 2008. She was the British Triathlon Champion for her age group and continues to dominate the sport. Footballer Joe Jacobson won the senior Sportsperson Award.

Two further trophies will be presented on the evening. The Ken Gradon Maccabiah Award, for the outstanding athlete from the Games, will be hotly contested following some spectacular performances from Team GB.

The CST Young Sports Leader of the Year will go to one of MGB’s most promising participants on the Streetwise Sports Leadership programme.

Maccabi GB chairman Stuart Greenberg said: “The past couple of years have seen much success for British Jewish sportsmen and women, both nationally and internationally. The 18th Maccabiah Games provided a platform for our athletes to shine and there were many notable performances with a number of them bringing home medals. It will be a tough year for the judges to choose a winner.”

Hosted by Jo Ankier, together with TV and radio personalities Graham Miller and Rob Nothman, the awards, sponsored by Pentland Group plc, will be held on March 14.

To request a nomination form or find out more about the awards, visit the Maccabi GB website www.maccabigb.org