Going Wild for fantastic four!

Pete Wild, Rebecca Adlington, Dorothy Shirley-Emerson and Ian Dunkerley.

OLDHAM’S sporting heroes took centre stage as they scooped a fantastic FOUR gongs at the Greater Manchester Sports Awards.

A packed audience of 600 people, which included two-time Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington, rose to their feet to salute a parade of the borough’s finest.

For Pete Wild, the Great Britain amputee football team coach, it was a night he will never forget.

Named as Greater Manchester coach of the year, the 29-year-old was then hailed as ‘champion of champions’ by receiving the ‘Be Inspired’ award, which was chosen from the winners of each of the six categories during the evening.

Ian Dunkerley was volunteer of the year for his unstinting service to AFC Santos and Dorothy Shirley-Emerson, who won high-jump silver at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, was the unsung hero for her work at grass roots level in encouraging children to play sport.

Oldham’s three other nominees, disabled sports achiever Greg Jones, club of the year Chadderton Park and sports achiever Alice Travis, received framed mementoes in recognition of representing their area against nine other boroughs at Lancashire CCC’s, The Point.

It was the first time since 2008 that Oldham had claimed a Greater Manchester award.
For a full version of this story read the Chronicle in print or via the digital iChron and eChron editions on mobile and laptop.