Teenage runner is Shetland’s Sportsperson of the Year 2009

Athlete Emma Leask, who won gold in the 800m at the Island Games in Åland in July, has been named Shetland’s Sportsperson of the Year 2009. She narrowly pipped archer and fellow games gold medallist Billy Finnie and triathlete Lynsey Henderson to the title.

Emma told 110 guests at the annual awards ceremony at Clickimin on Friday night that she was thrilled to have received the accolade, and thanked her coaches, teammates, members of her family and friends for all their support.

She was presented with the Shetland Times/Shetland Recreational Trust award by former Anderson High School head teacher George Jamieson, who also gave a fine speech paying tribute to all the hard work put in and commitment shown by sportspeople in the isles.

On a big night for the teenager, who was only 15 when she won in Åland, Emma also shared in the Team of the Year title, which went to the women’s 4x400m relay team (Emma, Allie Elphinstone, Megan Smith and Inga Woods) who won bronze at the same games.

The Young Sportsperson of the Year was table tennis player Lynda Flaws; the Young Team of the Year was the Junior Inter-county hockey team which won in Orkney this year; and coach of the year was Martin Leyland.

For the first time this year, the winner of the Shetland Times/Shetland Recreational Trust Fit Club was also named. Terry Williamson, whose life has been transformed by the exercise regime he followed and will continue to follow, received a year’s free platinum membership at Clickimin. Receiving his award, he joked that he still had a long way to go, but was full of praise for the staff at Clickimin for all their encouragement.

For full coverage of the awards and all the photographs, see this week’s Shetland Times.