Bermuda Athletes of the Year: Aitken and Manders
Keira Aitken
Gavin Manders [tennis] and Kiera|Aitken [swimming] have named the Male and Female Athlete of the Year.
Gavin Manders is an accomplished tennis player, holding a Davis Cup record of 6-1. The 23 yr old thanked his coaches, Steve Bean and Sam Maybury, as well as his father, former top cricketer Arnold Manders. He is the first tennis player to win this award.
Kiera Aitken is based in Europe and was unable to attend, so her award was accepted by her mother Mary-Beth Aitken. Ms. Aitken is a two time Olympic swimmer, and the first Bermudian to break the minute mark in the 100 metre backstroke. She has twice prior won this award.
The Bermuda Sports Awards were held on Sat February 27 at City Hall. Premier Dr Ewart Brown, himself a former sprinter who represented Bermuda at the Commonwealth Games, commended the athletes saying:
It’s great to see athletes who don’t judge themselves on being the best from Dockyard to St.George’s, but test themselves on the world stage.
Other award winners include:
Minister’s Awards
- Mary-Ellen Jackson – Cricket
- Jenay Edness – Football
- David Hemp – Cricket
- Omar Shakir – Football
Achievement Awards
- Stephen Dickinson – Sailing
- Tyler Butterfield – Triathlon
- Jenaya Wade-Fray – Basketball
- Keira Aitken – Swimming
- Roy-Allen Burch – Swimming
- Gavin Manders – Tennis
- Patrick Nesbitt – Equestrian
Special Achievement Awards
- John Hoskins
- Marjorie McGregor Correia – bowling
- Master Al Wharton – martial arts
Appreciation Award
- Bermuda Bowling Club
- Islandstats.com
Special Recognition Award
- Dr. Robert Vallis – golf
- Judy Simons
- Tyler Smith - tennis, aged 13
Citation Award
- Linda Manders
- Paget T Wharton
- Judith Simmons
- Ras Mykkal
- Raneika Bean
