Sleaford Town Awards - the build up goes on

Here we look at the Sport Individual (senior) of the Year award.

Former Sleaford Golf Club professional Paul Streeter has had a stunning 12 months, coming within an ace of qualifying for the PGA Champions Tour, the US version of the European Senior Tour for over 50s on which Streeter has made a huge impact in the last year.

The Champions Tour features many of the biggest names in golf from the last 30 years, including Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie, Tom Lehman and Mark O’Meara.

Paul has added the Midlands Professional Golfer of the Year award to the Senior Tour’s Rookie of the Year title.

He has a guaranteed place in the European Senior Tour thanks to two wins and six top ten finishes earning a ninth-place finish in the order of merit after a remarkable debut season, with winnings topping 200,000 Euros.

He earned the right to play against Major winners and Ryder Cup stars, including Jose Maria Olazabal, Ian Woosnam, Colin Montgomerie and Paul McGinlay.

Paul played tour events across Europe, South Africa, Mauritius and the Seychelles, winning a brilliant play-off against former Ryder Cup star Miguel Angel Jiminez.

He said: “I still love the game.

“I started playing golf when I was 16, I turned pro when I was 30 and got my Tour card when I was 33.

“I played in the Open at St Andrews in 2010 and the Seniors version was definitely more relaxed.”

* Another nominated finalist for Sports Individual of the Year, as well as Coach of the Year, is veteran athlete Malcolm Fenton, of Quarrington.

Malcolm, started in throwing events when he was 15 and has been involved in athletics for 47 years.

A successful athlete, he still competes in Masters’ Athletics, being current County Champion at the Shot, Discus and Hammer and current World Champion for Hammer Decathlon, for the over 60’s.

Malcolm said: “I’m surprised and honoured to be nominated for this award, as I’m a relative newcomer to the Sleaford area. I tend to do most of my coaching in Boston and throughout the UK, whilst the majority of my own training is carried out at Sleaford’s Fitness Zone gym.

“So it’s nice to find oneself nominated and recognised for ‘our’ awards.”

He is a national athletics coach who invests time and money in helping local youngsters to excel in their sport and improving facilities locally.

He has said: “I never thought anything could surpass the feeling you get when winning, but to coach someone to a similar level. I coached a guy to the Olympics in the shot put, it was actually far, far more satisfying.”

Moving to the area in 2016, he was approached to assist some local shot putters and a hammer thrower. Since then he coaches at Boston, Grantham and with Sleaford Striders. One of the athletes he works with, Hannah Molyneaux, recently competed at the European Under 20 Championships for the GB Team, finishing in 5th place in the Shot. She also won the Senior Girls Shot title at the English Schools Champs.

Outside the county he coaches the top Under 23 Shot putter and the current Commonwealth Youth Champion in the Hammer. All training, equipment and travel costs are at Malcolm’s expense.

He was recently asked to help advise on sporting facilities at St George’s Academy and last year was named Veteran Sportsperson of the Year in the Lincolnshire Sports Awards.