Shillingford, Gabriel Shine at Sports Awards

West Indies cricketer Shane Shillingford and Junior CARIFTA Games gold medallist Luan Gabriel of Bioche, a student of the Isaiah Thomas Secondary School were voted Sports Man and Sports Woman for 2012 at the Ministry of Sports 7th annual national sports awards presentations at the Fort Young Hotel on Wednesday May 1, 2013. It was Shillingford's third such honour and Luan's second in successive years. Shane won the sportsman of the year award in 2009 and 2010

Gabriel was the female athlete of the year with high jumper Brendon Williams copping the male category. Shillingford was cricketer of the year with former West Indies international Pearl Etienne as the outstanding female. Among Gabriel's achievements in 2012 was her gold medal at the Junior CARIFTA Games for Dominica's first ever in the sprint events; while Shillingford took 10 for 196 for West Indies against Australia at the Windsor Park Stadium to be the first West Indies spinner to take 10 wickets in a test match in 40 years.

The 17-year old Gabriel added the female youth of the year award to her collection with cricketer Jerlani Robinson as the male youth athlete accolade.

Other sports awardees were Rickey Rickets-basketball; Lennon Bannis-boxing; Augustus Fadelle-bridge; Royston Cadore, Lagoon Portsmouth-domino; Kurlson Benjamin and Kaysanda Alexander-football; Annie Sablon, Diamonds All Stars-rounders; Fernix Thomas, Sports Division-softball cricket; Garvin Leblanc, SMA-squash; Mauricio Burton-tennis; and Ray Robinson, Sunrise Marigot and Anna Maria Xavier, Acers-volleyball

Also making the honours role were Stephanie Laronde-Special Olympics athlete of the year; Dubique-sporting village; Isaac Andre-groundsman; Delvin Esprit and Walson Pacquette-Physical Education/sports teacher primary and secondary schools respectively; Grand Fond and Portsmouth Secondary School-primary and secondary schools respectively; Ossie Lewis-commentator; Garvin Richards, MARPIN 2K4-sports reporter; Ericson Degallerie, cricket-sports official; Mickey Joseph, basketball-coach; Aspirers Athletics Club-club of the year; Southern District-committee; National Bank of Dominica-sponsor; and Cricket Association-association of the year.

In attendance were His Excellency President of the Commonwealth of Dominica Eliud Williams and Mrs Williams, ministers of government and counterpart sport ministers from Antigua & Barbuda, Montserrat and Grenada among other representatives of OECS member states.

The programme chaired by Kamala Jno Baptiste Aaron began with a minute's silence in respect of deceased football coach Kirt Hector and national player Noran Jno Hope who died recently in a traffic accident.