Rob Burrow to play starring role as Josh Warrington faces Leeds United battle at 2020 Leeds Sports Awards

ROB BURROW will be guest of honour at Thursday night's 2020 Leeds Sports Awards which will raise money towards the battle with motor neurone disease.
THUMBS UP: Rob Burrow will be guest of honour at the 2020 Leeds Sports Awards on Thursday night. Picture by Steve Riding.THUMBS UP: Rob Burrow will be guest of honour at the 2020 Leeds Sports Awards on Thursday night. Picture by Steve Riding.
THUMBS UP: Rob Burrow will be guest of honour at the 2020 Leeds Sports Awards on Thursday night. Picture by Steve Riding.

Now in their 17th year, over 750 guests are expected at first direct arena including the city's IBF featherweight boxing champion of the world Josh Warrington.

'Leeds warrior' Warrington is nominated for the sportsman of the year award in which he faces a battle against one of his Leeds United favourites Pablo Hernandez.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Huge Whites fan Warrington and Hernandez face competition for the award from Yorkshire CCC’s England Test captain Joe Root plus diving star Jack Laugher, race walker Tom Bosworth and cyclist Tom Pidcock.

There are nine finalists for the sportswoman of the year award, including recently-retired double Olympic champion and professional world boxing champion Nicola Adams.

But what is sure to be an emotional evening will also feature an appearance from former Leeds Rhinos star Burrow who continues to battle motor neurone disease and will be the evening's guest of honour.

Kevin Sinfield, Jamie-Jones Buchanan and Gary Hetherington will also be present among those representing the Rhinos as the evening raises money for the Rob Burrow fund and the Motor Neurone Disease Association, with prizes kindly donated by partners and sponsors of the event.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Burrow is a previous recipient of the LSA Special Recognition award which he took in 2018, along with teammate Danny Maguire,

Sally Light, chief executive of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, said: "The continuing support for Rob Burrow following his diagnosis of motor neurone disease is heartwarming to see and I’m sure this will be a really special evening for Rob, particularly returning as a guest two years after receiving the Special Recognition Award.

"We are very touched by the support the rugby league world has already shown to the MND Association through fundraising and awareness.

"To see this now spreading into the wider sporting world gives us hope that, by working together, we will one day find the treatments and cures people like Rob so desperately need.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In the sportswoman of the year category, Olympic golden girl Adams faces competition from middle distance running stars Alex Bell and Laura Weightman, plus two cyclists in Lizzie Deignan and Katy Marchant.

Triathlete Jess Learmonth, diver Lois Toulson, cricketer Katie Levick and rugby league ace Courtney Hill are also in the mix.

Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa also joins Hernandez in being nominated for an award, shortlisted for the coach - performance of the year category alongside Adam Cuthbertson, Andi Drake and Andy Henderson.

The club/team performance award will be a battle between the City of Leeds Diving Club, East Leeds Swimming Club, Leeds City Athletic Club Endurance Teams and Leeds Rhinos Women.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The disability category sees representation from the likes of three MBEs in Great Britain’s Para-cycling team’s David Stone and Paralympians Hannah Cockroft and Kadeena Cox.

The awards also celebrate the younger generation and their achievements while there will also be recognition for the hardworking coaches and volunteers around the city.

Look North sports reporter Tanya Arnold will again be hosting proceedings and 2,255 votes were recorded to nominate finalists during the last few months.

Peter Smith, chair of Sport Leeds, said: "The 2020 Leeds Sports Awards looks like being another spectacular event, celebrating the best of sporting talent in the city.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Having moved to the first direct arena in 2017 the event has continued to grow in stature and attendance.

"From small beginnings where only a few hundred were attending, we are now seeing numbers regularly passing the 750 mark.

"Sport Leeds and its partners takes great pride in how this event has grown. It is now a key event in the sporting calendar of Leeds."

FINALISTS

SENIOR ACHIEVERS

Sportsman: Jack Laugher MBE, Joe Root, Josh Warrington, Pablo Hernandez, Tom Bosworth, Tom Pidcock.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sportswoman: Alex Bell, Courtney Hill, Jess Learmonth, Katie Levick, Katy Marchant, Laura Weightman, Lizzie Deignan, Lois Toulson, Nicola Adams.

Sportsman Disability: Adam Duggleby MBE, David Stone MBE, James Simpson.

Sportswoman Disability: Hannah Cockroft MBE, Izzy Palmer, Jade Jones-Hall, Jodie Boyd-Ward, Kadeena Cox MBE.

Coach - Performance: Adam Cuthbertson, Andi Drake, Andy Henderson, Marcelo Bielsa.

YOUNG ACHIEVERS

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Young Sportsman: Ethan Hussey, Luke Whitehouse, Oliver Crompton.

Young Sportswoman: Caitlin Beevers, Callie Eaglestone, Leah Crisp, Millicent Costello.

Young Disability Sportsperson: Lucas Town, Nathan Collins.

Young Club/Team: City of Leeds Swimming Junior League Team, City of Leeds Synchronised Swimming Club, East Leeds ARLFC U13s, Morley Cricket Club U9s.

School Sport (U18 or 18+): Corpus Christi, Jan Wood, The Grammar School at Leeds Netball u13s & U15's.

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Student Sport: Alex Yee, Evie Tonkin, Leeds Beckett American Football, Linden Metcalfe, Matt Brigham, University of Leeds Boat Club, University of Leeds Womens' Rugby Union.

Club/Team Performance: City of Leeds Diving Club, East Leeds Swimming Club, Leeds City Athletic Club Endurance Teams, Leeds Rhinos Women.

Coach - Participation: Gemma Wright, Jessica Nicholson, Joshua Gardner.

Volunteer: Andrew Firth, David Mawson, Jacky Cooper.

Outstanding Service to Sport: Gordon Agar, John Hall, Pat Childs.