Goddard & Blackshaw Scoop Greater Manchester Awards
James Goddard, Stockport Metro & ITC Swimmer has been awarded Sports Achiever of the Year at the Manchester Sports Awards held at Lancashire Cricket Ground. Richard Blackshaw, Stockport Metro Head Coach was also named Coach of the Year.
James scooped double gold at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi at the end of 2011 and has continued to impress in the pool ever since. Having previously won Gold at the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2000, he narrowly missed out on a medal at the Beijing Olympics. After his performances in Delhi he is a strong contender for a medal in London next summer. James also recorded his highest ever finish at a World Championships when he came fourth this summer in the 200m Individual Medley after switching his focus from mainly swimming backstroke events.
This is the second consecutive year that a Stockport Metro & ITC swimmer has received the award, following on from Keri-anne Payne’s award last year. Some achievement when you consider that the awards cover all 10 boroughs across Greater Manchester and every sport imaginable!
Richard Blackshaw, head coach at Stockport Metro has risen through the ranks at Stockport Metro and is now recognised one of the best up and coming coaches in Britain. He has recently been selected for the UK Sport Elite Coaching Apprenticeship Programme (involving all sports) and has also been recognised by British Swimming as a leading Coach in their awards earlier this year. This year was the club’s best year in history as far as all-round performances are concerned; they won the National Arena Swimming League final and the National Age Group Championships top club award. Tom Moss, age 17, won gold for Great Britain at the European Junior Championships, and Keri-anne Payne won the World Championships in the 10km open water race in Shanghai.
A great achievement for Stockport and recognition and reward for all the hard work the swimmers, their coaches and all the backroom staff put in at Stockport Metro and the British Swimming Intensive Training Centre.
If you would like more information on Stockport Metro and competitive swimming in Stockport contact the Stockport Metro Coaching line on 0161 480 5138.