Maccabi GB Sports Awards 2010
Field and Goodman scoop Prestigious Maccabi GB Awards
March 2010
Blind cricketer Daniel Field spoke of how "proud and humble" he felt after he was named the Maccabi GB Senior Sportsman of the Year on Sunday night.
Maccabi GB's Awards night, in partnership with UJIA and hosted by Jo Ankier and Ivor Baddiel, paid homage to Jewish sport's brightest talent with the pinnacle of the evening being Field receiving his award.
The 21-year-old made his debut for England as a blind cricketer against Sri Lanka in 2006, and two years later achieved his highest score to date of 126 not out in Australia. Daniel currently holds the record for most England caps for a wicketkeeper, currently 21, and was selected for England for the 2009 summer series in Pakistan.
After receiving his award, he said: "I'm proud, honoured and speechless; it's just an absolutely amazing feeling to have won this award.
"To receive this is pretty overwhelming, I never know how to react to these sorts of things, it's not what you play the sport for, but it is amazing and quite humbling to be recognised for something that you love. I'm just incredibly lucky that I can get away with doing something I incredibly enjoy."
Field saw off the challenge of professional footballers Joe Jacobson and Dean Furman, and finished ahead of Oliver Ziff and Daniel Grant to claim the gong.
Reflecting on the amount of quality Jewish sportspeople that were present at the prestigious awards ceremony, he said: "All the athletes here tonight show that Jewish sporting talent is alive and truly kicking. I remember when I was younger and before I went onto cricket, I was always down at Maccabi kicking a ball about and it's just brilliant, it keeps the community together, thriving; it's just fantastic."
The Maccabi GB Young Sportsperson award was won by track & field star Richard Goodman, and he, like Field was just as delighted with his award: "It's an honour to be awarded such a prestigious trophy. I was a good contender, but all the other nominees were also very strong contenders as well and I was very lucky to win. I will cherish this trophy for the year I have it, polish it as much as I can and keep it in good nick for the next person!
"Tonight has shown that there is a lot of good Jewish talent around. Maccabi GB did such an excellent job with the Maccabiah and if there were more Maccabiot around we'd see more talent. It's such a good opportunity for young people my age to get involved and win such amazing trophies."
As well as the awards, the 400-strong audience was treated to some great entertainment including the Moriah School Choir, sports impressionist Daniel Levene, Ashley and Rafi from the Maccabiah medal winning table tennis squad and Britain's Got Talent 2008 winner George Sampson.
FULL ROLE CALL:
Pentland Senior Sportsperson of the Year:
DANIEL FIELD
DANIEL GRANT
OLIVER ZIFF
The JC Young Sportsperson of the Year:
RICHARD GOODMAN
ZACK ZELISNICK
MARC BRENNER
UJIA Team of the Year:
Maccabi Over 45 Football Team
CST Young Sports leader of the Year:
Darryl Sholem
Richard Urban Lifetime Achievement Award:
Alan Shepherd
Ken Graden Award:
GB Beach Volleyball Team
Gold Medal:
David Pinnick
Silver Medals:
Robin Fish, David Woolf
Click here to view photos from the Evening