THE Pride of St Helens awards are to take place this Friday night in a celebration of the borough's community heroes.

There will be prizes awarded in 11 categories on the night at Saints' stadium.

Here are the nominees for the St Helens Council Young Sportsperson award:

 

Shea Williams

SHEA Williams took up martial arts to improve his self-confidence after he suffered stress-related alopecia due to being bullied.

Dad Michael took Shea, then aged four, to classes to build confidence. And since then, the youngster has never looked back.

Shea, nine, has won a raft of winning medals and this year became a world champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The Carr Mill Primary pupil, who also does MMA and Thai boxing, has won English, British and European titles for the last three years running.

The Moss Bank youngster, trains out of Next Generation gym in Liverpool, and Two Brothers and 4 Corner.

Speaking to the Star, Shea’s mum Zoe told of her son’s dedication: “He’s a very naturally talented young lad but still trains hard two to three hours every night.

“Shea started training to give him confidence because when he was four he was getting bullied.

“Shea travelled the world, he’s wrestled in Germany, competed in America in BJJ and while other kids were eating Easter eggs Shea was in Thailand doing a three-week MMA camp.”

 

Lauren Bate

CYCLIST Lauren Bate has enjoyed a successful year – winning bronze for England in the Women’s Team Sprint in the Commonwealth Games.

Lauren, from Billinge, was part of the women’s sprint team which claimed bronze on the Gold Coast, coming in behind gold medallists Australia and second-placed New Zealand.

Lauren followed that up the next day with a fine display in the Women’s track sprint.

The cyclist beat fellow Team England’s member Katie Marchant at the velodrome in Women’s Sprint 1/8 Final.

She was eventually eliminated in the quarter final, being pipped by Canada’s Lauriane Genest.

Lauren also achieved a new personal best while finishing fifth in the women’s 500m time trial final.

This year has also seen Lauren ride in the women’s team sprint event at the 2018 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in March, held in the Netherlands.

Lauren is a two-time junior world medallist.

She is a six-time national champion and four-time national record holder.

 

Ivan Leyland

MILL Green pupil Ivan Leyland – who underwent two organ transplants – struck gold in the British Transplant Games wheelchair race.

Ivan had a liver transplant as a baby and then had a small bowel transplant at the age of eight.

The 15-year-old, who receives regular care at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, won a gold medal in the British Transplant Games in Birmingham in a wheelchair race.

Ivan had both of his transplant operations at Birmingham Children’s Hospital and it part of their team.

At the games Ivan, who lives with his guardians Duncan and Darrell Prescott, also took part in archery, the ball throw event and the 3k donor run.

Ivan also suffers with cerebral palsy and needs to wear hearing aids and he is committed to raising awareness of organ donation.

After Ivan’s achievement, guardian Darrell said to the Star: “Ivan did the donor run in his wheelchair to promote organ donation.

“Without people registering Ivan would not be alive now – nevermind competing in the games.”