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Kelly Holmes presents RAF sport awards
30th May 2009
AN OLYMPIC heroine visited RAF Odiham to present awards for sporting excellence at the base.
Dame Kelly Holmes, a double-gold medal winner at the Athens Olympics in 2004, presented 26 awards at the first ever RAF Odiham Sports Awards.
The 39-year-old then spent an hour at the base chatting to the winners and their families.
Dame Kelly (pictured front, third left) said: “It is fantastic that this opportunity for recognition of sporting achievements exists.
“RAF Odiham is a busy station working at a high operational tempo, so credit is due to each recipient that they manage to continually achieve despite this.”
Corporal Wendy Murdoch won sportswoman of the year. She said: “I do sport because I love it, not to get awards, but it was fantastic to meet Dame Kelly and to be presented with the sportswoman of the year was an unexpected pleasure.”
The ceremony follows a successful sporting year for personnel at the RAF base.
The station won the RAF cup for ladies’ football, table tennis and golf, and finished runners-up in netball and mens’ football.
Dame Kelly presented seven RAF Colours, 14 RAF Odiham Colours and five special awards, including sportsman and sportswoman of the year.
Group Captain Andy Turner, station commander at RAF Odiham, said: “It was a pleasure, and honour, to have Dame Kelly here at RAF Odiham to recognise our magnificent sportsmen and women.
“The absolute link between sport, success on operations and personal development is a key thread of RAF Odiham’s long-term philosophy.”