Paralympic gold medal winner Josie Pearson takes top honour at Herefordshire and Worcestershire Sports Awards (From Hereford Times)

Paralympic gold medal winner Josie Pearson , from Brilley, takes top honour at Herefordshire and Worcestershire Sports Awards

9:00am Friday 23rd November 2012 in Sport By Ian Morgan

PARALYMPIC gold-medallist Josie Pearson was the headline act at the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Sports Awards.

Josie, from Brilley, won the Sports Personality of the Year award and also gave the keynote speech in the ceremony at Worcester Warriors’ Sixways Stadium.

She had a golden summer, taking the women’s discus title at London 2012 and breaking the world record three times in the process.

Josie was also among a parade of Welsh athletes at half-time in Wales’ rugby union match against Samoa at the Millennium Stadium on Friday.

Emma Patrick, the coach of disabled swimming stars Sascha and Nyree Kindred who won silver medals in London, was named Coach of the Year.

Emma took part in the Olympic Torch Relay in Ludlow in May.

Josie and Emma were the two Herefordshire award winners last week.

Josie and the Kindreds also took part in a ‘Meet the Superstars’ question and answer session.

More than 230 guests – including six local Paralympians – gathered at the 2012 awards organised by The Sports Partnership Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Stephen Brewster, director of The Sports Partnership Herefordshire and Worcestershire, said: “The response to our annual sports awards this year was staggering, with almost 150 nominations for just 15 awards. The judging panel had a tough time choosing the eventual winners.”