HOPES for a Jersey winner lay heavily on the tender shoulders of teenager Hannah Silcock, with the announcement, today, of the nominees for the 2023 BetWay Channel Islands Sports Personality of the Year.
She goes up against three sports stars from Guernsey, including the red-hot favourite, footballer Alex Scott, cyclist Sam Culverwell and triathlete Josh Lewis.
The talented table tennis starlet had another fantastic year, including winning the women’s singles and a team gold at the Island Games in Guernsey in the summer.
However, it is Silcock’s exploits on the national scene that has won her nomination. As recent as November, Silcock, who only turned 16 this year, became the British Isles women’s champion when she beat the experienced Irish No.1 Mia O’Rahilly-Egan 3-1 in the final.
An U15 British champion in 2022, it was the first time Silcock had competed at the event as a senior. She also won bronze in the women’s doubles with older sister Kathryn.
Silcock is now based at the prestigious Grantham School in Lincolnshire to further her education, as well as hone her table tennis skills. However, she also been competing on the club competition in France, representing Hennenbont. Her last success, however, was winning the Cardiff Grand Prix in December, beating Wales’ Tsz Yan Nancy Yeh 3-2 in the final. She is currently ranked 123rd in the world among the girls’ singles players.
At last year’s award ceremony, Silcock was nominated for the Rising Star accolade and would have been a strong contender again but, such was her impact,
The judging panel felt she deserved a nomination for the main prize. She lost out in that category to England U20 winger Alex Scott, who won it jointly with fellow teenage football sensation Luke Harris, and, following his £25m transfer to AFC Bournemouth, Scott is the strong favourite to win the Sports Personality of the Year award when it is announced on the evening of 8 February.
Jersey dominate the other award categories, including Rising Star. Cricketer Asa Tribe has gone from strength-to-strength, putting in player-of-the-match performances for Jersey, as well as earning a two-year professional contract at Glamorgan. Triathlete Luke Holmes had a year to remember, winning gold at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago, while his Jersey team-mate at the Games, Filip Nowacki, won three medals in the pool, to go along with a silver he picked up at the European Youth Olympics in Slovakia. The three young Jersey men go up against Guernsey FC striker Jack Griffin for the award.
The are four Jersey nominations out of five for the Grant Thornton Team of the Year, including the Commonwealth Youth Games team of Holmes, Nowacki and the seven other members who competed in the Caribbean. Jersey Rowing Club’s beach sprint rowing team have been nominated following the on-going development and success of various members in British and European competition in this upcoming sport that will be in the Olympics programme at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Jersey Table Tennis are also up for the award following their continued success in national competitions at all age groups, led by Silcock, while the Jersey football team are also nominated for their dominant performance in the Island Games, as well as winning last summer’s Muratti Vase. The Guernsey women’s swimming team, who won a number of gold medals at the Island Games have also been nominated.
Nominations for the Coach of the Year award are split evenly between the two Islands. Myles Landick has cultured an invincible team at Jersey RFC, winning all of their competitive matches since the club was reformed out of a separation from now defunct club Jersey Reds, including lifting the Siam Cup. Jersey men’s football coach Elliot Powell is also nominated after leading the side to Island Games glory, as well as winning the Premiership and the Jersey FA Cup with St Peter. They both go up against Guernsey’s swimming coach Sarah Parfitt and Jordan Kelly.
Some may be surprised by the omission of any nominations related to Jersey Reds for any of the awards, however, the judging panel felt that the dissolution of the club undermined their credentials, despite the incomparable success of winning the Championship, the second tier of club rugby in England.
The public are invited to help decide the winner of the Channel Islands Personality of the Year award by telephone vote, with lines open from 10am today, while a select panel of judges from Channels Islands media will decide the winners of the other awards.
To vote, call 0845 606 55 and
01 – Sam Culverwell02 – Josh Lewis03 – Alex Scott04 – Hannah Silcock
Votes cost 5p + network access charge. Please check costs with your network operator before dialling. A maximum of 5 calls from a phone number will be accepted. Lines close on Thursday 8 February at 9pm.
Votes will be combined with the judge’s scores. T&Cs and Privacy Notice at itv.com/terms. Please do not vote if you are watching on demand.
BetWay CI Sports PersonalitySam Culverwell (cycling)Josh Lewis (triathlete)Alex Scott (football)Hannah Silcock (table tennis)
Sure Rising StarJack Griffin (football)Luke Holmes (triathlon)Filip Nowacki (swimming)Asa Tribe (cricket)
Grant Thornton Team of the YearGuernsey women’s Island Games swimming teamJersey Rowing Club’s beach sprint teamJersey Youth Commonwealth Games teamJersey Men’s footballJersey Table Tennis
Coach of the YearMyles Landick (Jersey RFC)Sarah Parfitt (Guersey swimming)Elliot Powell (Jersey football)Jordan Kelly (Guernsey FC)
The Michael Lucas Sporting Hero will be announced on the night
