'Sports Star award was something special' - English

Donegal Olympic athlete Mark English has stressed the importance of team and individual successes being recognised at the annual Donegal Sports Star awards presentation function which takes place at the end of January.

The Letterkenny man, who made his Olympic debut in Rio in the summer, was the overall winner of the 2015 Donegal Sports Star Award.

With nominations closing for this year’s awards on Friday, English said sporting organisations should do their bit to honour a deserving sportsperson, no matter what their sporting discipline.

“I have been fortunate to win Donegal Sport Star Awards when I was at Primary and Secondary School and just to be in the same room then as senior sporting stars was great,” he said.

“I have also won the senior athletics category and being named the ‘Overall Winner’ in the last two years which was a great honour for me and it is very special to have my name there along with so many great stars of sport in Donegal. So I would ask the sporting organisations in the county to get the nominations in before the deadline on Friday.”

Donegal Sports Star Awards Chairperson Neil Martin said there is still time to submit the names of teams and individuals who have achieved significant successes at local, provincial, national and international level in 2016.

“We all know that our county has enjoyed a lot of sporting success this year so it’s important that all those names feature on the nominations list when our committee sits down to decide category winners in January,” he said.

“To be nominated for a Donegal Sports Star Award is an honour in itself and just to be there at the presentation function along with all others who have had great successes in 2016 is very special.”