Boxer Lewis Richardson was named Male Sports Personality of the Year at last year's Sport Colchester Sports Personality Awards

THE judging panel for this year's Sport Colchester Sports Personality Awards has been "overwhelmed" by the quality of candidates ahead of this year's big ceremony on November 26.

The panel met to sift through nominations and decide the winners on Monday morning.

The borough’s biggest achievers of the year will be rewarded at a glittering ceremony at the JobServe Community Stadium.

And John Powell, chairman of organisers Sport Colchester, admits it was a difficult task, given the diversity and strength of the applications.

"The judging panel were overwhelmed by the quality of the nominations, which must be one of the strongest we've ever had," he told the Gazette.

"It's been amazing this year.

"We were staggered and hugely impressed, so it made for some very difficult decisions.

"All the winners and those highly commended will be notified in the next two weeks and invited to next month's awards ceremony.

"This prestigious event is one of the highlights of the borough's sporting calendar and a chance to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our amateur sportsmen and women."

Colchester’s most prestigious annual sporting awards were first made over 30 years ago and are now recognised as one of the best of their kind in Essex.

They are sponsored by the Daily Gazette, meetings, accommodation, events and travel management experts Inntel and the Duley Practice, the local partner practice of St James Place Wealth Management.

Individual and team awards will be handed out on the night, marking outstanding achievement during the calendar year at international, national or regional level, and nominations were open to any individual or team representing any sporting organisation in the Colchester and District Council area.

The judging panel for all the awards consists of representatives of Sport Colchester and the Daily Gazette.

Sport Colchester has been in existence for half a century and is an independent, non-profit making forum for sporting organisations in the borough of Colchester.

It’s key function is the organisation of this event by a small team of volunteers and funded totally by members of the Colchester Business Community.

The deadline for nominations was Monday, October 8.