Sleaford Town Awards 2018 - Sport Individual of the Year (Junior and Senior) nominations

Thomas Cragg

Thomas Cragg is nominated for Young Sportsman of the Year. A keen member of the Sleaford Wheelers Cycle Cross team he takes part in events around the country often against riders three or four years older than him and last year he claimed the county title for his age group.

In the Lincolnshire Cyclocross U12 Trophy series 2017 he finished 4th overall.

Full of enthusiasm and support for team mates, he has been representing Sleaford Wheelers in cyclocross, grass track and the summer circuit racing series with a string of wins. Photo: Richard Howes Photography.

Michael Baines

Young golfer Michael Baines has been called up to represent the England Schooboys team aged just 13.

Despite giving away up to five years’ experience to the other competitors, the young St George’s Academy pupil is hoping to help guide the England squad to success when they face Scotland at Royal Troon in September.

Michael had to work his way through three qualifying rounds to secure his spot.

Michael began playing golf aged seven and is a member of Sleaford Golf Club. He is currently the under-14 county champion and has represented Lincolnshire at under 14, 16 and 18 level.

Jack Bell

St George’s Academy student motorcyclist Jack Bell, 14, is also up for the young sports person award.

Jack is Mablethorpe sandracing champion, speedway champion at Leicester youths, second in the Scunthorpe adult speedway championship, second in the adult pit bike championship.

He is to ride for the Peterborough Thundercats first team this year and was selected to try out at the British talent cup for Moto GP. He will start the summer in the British flat track speedway championship and has twice been invited to train with Moto GP champion Marc Marquez.

Jacob Boden

Jacob Boden now aged 16, joined Sleaford Maltsters Archery Club aged eight and has represented the county every since. Jacob has been moved up to the Conversion Academy where he is training with the top archers in the country.

At the 2013 Junior National Outdoor Championships he gained a silver and a bronze and won the National Championships at U14 level. He gained silver for England at the 2017 Junior National Indoor Championships.

He is currently working towards becoming a Junior Judge and volunteers as a Young Ambassador for an inclusive sports organisation for people of any ability.

Jess Elkington

Up for the senior sports individual award is 2nd Lieutenant Jess Elkington from Sleaford who recently celebrated success at the Army

Ice Championships in Germany in the bobsleigh discipline.

Jess secured victory with her pilot Warrant Officer Sarah 2nd Class Sarah Smithto be crowned the 2018 Army Female Bobsleigh champions. As the brake-woman she gets them off to a good start.

The 25 year old, Troop Commander with 26 Regiment Royal Artillery went on to represent the Army in the Inter service championships.

Cricketing trio

Our other senior sportspersons are a trio of Billingborough cricketers who set a new world record in Sleaford, batting for 72 hours continuously to raise money for Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance.

Dave Newman, Shaun Brown and Richard Wells, who live in the town, reached the amazing target of batting against a bowling machine in the nets at Sleaford’s Northgate Sports Hall.

They overcame sleep deprivation, painful feet from standing for long periods, hallucinations and enjoyed morale boosting visits by friends and family and late night DJ sets to carry them over the line.