ON Friday, November 22, we will celebrating the 12th annual Pride of St Helens Awards.
In Thursday's Star (November 14 edition, in shops now) we published a 16-page supplement profiling each of the shortlisted nominees for this year's ceremony.
Throughout this week ahead of the event at the Totally Wicked Stadium, we will be sharing our categories of nominees with you.
Here are your nominees for the Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group Pride of St Helens Award - Young Sportsperson award, sponsored by St Helens Borough Council.
Beri Salihi
BERI Salihi has enjoyed a successful opening season with St Helens Women’s rugby league team since joining ahead of the 2024 season, with a Challenge Cup final win among the highlights.
The full-back signed from Wigan and has impressed with her performances.
However, it has not just been her skills and athletic prowess that have impressed her peers and the Saints coaching staff, but also her sponge-like willingness to soak up information and learn from the players around her.
Saints fan and former Carmel College and Hope Academy student Beri is a fine attacking player.
She was a part of the triumphant Challenge Cup winning team that beat Leeds in June this year, playing at the national stadium beneath the famous arch at Wembley.
She also helped Saints to a League Leaders’ Shield and in reaching the Women’s Super League Grand Final this year.
She has also been a part of the England Knights Performance Squad.
Head of PE at Hope Academy Marie Adams, who nominated Beri, said: “We are incredibly proud to have Beri as one of our alumni after such achievements.
“Throughout her five years at Hope Academy, she worked extremely hard and displayed our core values exemplary.
“She would often help other students in lessons and showed an incredible work ethic with her revision.
“Beri is a huge role model for our students and will leave a lasting legacy.”
Hayden Battle
HAYDEN Battle, of St Helens Swimming Club, was crowned the Swim England North West Regional 200m Backstroke Champion in May.
After winning his heat, the 14-year-old smashed his personal best by almost five seconds, in a thrilling final, narrowly missing out on representing St Helens at the England National Championships by just 0.07 seconds, having been in the lower end of the dual age 14/15 category.
Hayden, from Lea Green, also won bronze in the 100m Backstroke at the same Championships with another fine PB. After the home of St Helens Swimming Club - Parr Baths, was closed in 2019, The club needed to leave the borough to pick up pool time In 2023, Hayden had successful trials with both the City of Liverpool and City of Manchester Swim Teams but instead chose to stay with St Helens in the hope of realising his dream of winning gold for the town. Going on to finally achieve that dream in the club colours was, without question, his proudest achievement to date.
In nominating Hayden, his dad Dave, also a coach at St Helens Swimming Club, said: “Hayden is fiercely proud of his club and regularly competes for them at both local & regional competitions, collecting over 200 medals to date.
“Swimming is a tough sport, training for two hours at 5.30am in a morning before school and returning again for another two hours training after school is not easy.
“Hayden now dedicates 14 hours per week to training and hopes to swim at the British Swimming Championships & English National Championships in 2025. As parents, we are immensely proud of him representing the town. His commitment, determination and resilience is inspirational.”
Lewis Shaw
SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD Lewis Shaw has built his reputation as an outstanding young hurdler.
After winning English Schools and National titles as an under 15 athlete, he has since moved into the Under 17 age group and in 2024 went the full outdoor season unbeaten in the 100m Hurdles, winning every major honour available.
Running for Warrington Athletic Club, Lewis, from Sutton, started the year by stepping up an age group to try the 110m Hurdles and managed to achieved the European Under 18 Championships Qualifying time, running 14.36 seconds.
Stepping back into the U17 group where he won the Merseyside Championships over the U17 100m Hurdles in a new championship record.
He also won the Merseyside County Schools title and followed that performance up by winning gold at the English Schools Championships.
Lewis gained selection to run for England in the Home Countries international match and won his first international match in 12.94 seconds. This ranked him as not only number one in the UK but also put him into the top 25 on the UK all-time ranking lists above athletes such as world champion and Olympic medallist Colin Jackson.
Lewis then won gold at the National under 17 Championships before finishing the season winning the North of England title in another championship record, beating the previous championship record that had stood for 18 years. He ended the season unbeaten and ranked as UK number one.
Praising his attitude, Lewis's coach Neal Petley, who nominated him for the award, said: “Lewis is always willing to learn and lesson, that is what sets him aside.”
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