And the Sports Awards shortlists are...

THE long wait is over for the Royal Town's sporting elite after the shortlists for the Sutton Coldfield Sports Awards 2011 were announced this week.

Dozens of nominations have been whittled down to three sporting stars per category by the hard-working awards committee.

Olympic hockey bronze medallist Jane Sixsmith, one of the organisers of the awards, admitted the competition had been fierce in the event's second year after its 2010 relaunch.

She said: "It hasn't been easy narrowing the field down as, across the board, everyone who was nominated was of a really high standard.

"Even the veterans category was filled by people who have represented England or Great Britain.

"It just shows that from youngsters right through to veterans we have people in Sutton on the national and international sporting stage, which is something to be very proud of."

The front-runners for the Male Sports Personality of the Year award – sponsored by Eltom – are Martin Farmer, Paul Heard and Alex White.

Farmer is a motor racing driver who has won the UK Formula Vee Championship two years in a row.

Heard is one of Britain's top young cycle speedway talents and White is a key member all of the all-conquering Sutton Coldfield Rugby Club first team.

Hockey dominates the Female Sports Personality of the Year award – sponsored by your sports-mad Observer.

Laura Unsworth won the award last year and the England ace, who plays for Loughborough University, will hope to make it two years on the bounce.

But she will face stiff competition from Sutton Coldfield Hockey Club duo Vicky Woolford and Rebecca Batsford – who played key roles in the ladies first XI's promotion back to the national league. There were a host of international representatives nominated for the Birmingham Metropolitan College Junior Sports Personality of the Year award – with Lulu Piovesana (judo), Matt Venables (sailing) and Jemma Westgate (modern pentathlon) making the cut.

The Lifetime Achievement Award – sponsored by Gemini – was a particularly tough category to whittle down with a host of long-serving club stalwarts nominated. In the end, the committee decided the final three would be Sylvia Evans, Ken Buswell and Michael Long for their sterling service to Sutton Coldfield Golf Club, Streetly Tennis Club and Sutton United FC respectively.

Elsewhere, Margaret Smoldon (Sutton Coldfield RFC), Linda Lord (Royal Sutton Coldfield Athletics Club) and Geoff Fowler (Boldmere Swimming Club) have made the shortlist for the Volunteer of the Year award, sponsored by Trinity Ward.

The New Hall Ward Coach of the Year award will go to either Steve Ashford of 2A's Judokwai, Ashley Cox of Boldmere Swimming Club or Jill Armstrong of Parkside netball.

There is stiff competition in the Tamworth Audi Club of the Year award category between three clubs shining at regional and national levels – Boldmere Swimming Club, Sutton Coldfield Hockey Club and Sutton Coldfield Rugby Club.

Sutton RFC's First XV – unbeaten this season in Midlands One – are contenders for the Sportology Senior Team of the Year award, along with Sutton hockey ladies first XI and Sutton United FC.

Meanwhile, Boldmere Swimming Club's medal winning juniors, Walmley Cricket Club under-13s girls and Four Oaks Saints CC under-10s are up for the Gomm Insurance Junior Team of the Year award.

The shortlist for the Green & Co Sportsperson of the Year with a Physical/Learning Disability features swimmer Tully Kearney, footballer David Howell and goalball player Jonathan Morley.

Streetly Tennis Club's Mick Webb, Four Oaks Tennis Club's Tony King and 2A's Judokwai's Steve Ashford will battle it out for the Four Oaks Ward Veteran Sports Personality of the Year award.

And the Vesey Ward Veteran Sports Team of the Year category features Sutton Town FC Over-35s, Streetly Tennis Club men's over-65s and the Birmingham Mets basketball team.

Rounding off the shortlist, New Oscott, Moor Hall, Coppice and Little Sutton are up for the SCPSSA Clewer Trophy for Primary School of the Year Award.

And Bishop Walsh, Streetly School and Bishop Vesey are the schools in contention for the SCSSSA Evans Trophy for Secondary School of the Year honour.

The winners will be announced and receive their prizes at the glittering Sports Awards ceremony at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall on Friday, January 27.

See the Observer on February 3 for results and pictures.