SEVERAL stars and organisations will be chasing a hat-trick of victories when the 2018 Provident Bradford Sporting Awards take place.

Two who will be hoping to pick up main prizes at Valley Parade on Thursday, March 8 are boxer Mohammed Harris Akbar and weightlifter Rebekah Tiler.

Both won their respective Young Sportsperson awards in 2016 and 2017, although Rebekah, from Denholme, had to share the female prize last year with karate star Katelyn Entwistle from Baildon.

Opposing Akbar will be Great Britain rugby league star John Bateman and England wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow, both of whom were nominated in the same category in 2016, with Bairstow taking the prize.

Tiler's opposition is Entwhistle, who has also moved up to senior level, and Bulls' England women's World Cup ace Amy Hardcastle.

Hosts Bradford City are also bidding for a treble in the Professional Club or Team category, where their rivals are the formidable Bradford Bulls Women, who won the Super League Grand Final and the Challenge Cup last season.

Also nominated for a third year in succession are twice former champions Baildon Church of England Primary School in the Active Schools section, Carlton Bolling girls' cricket team in the Active Achievers' Student Club or Team section, Horizon Taekwondo Academy (Club Team of the Year) and City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (Active Workplace).

Among those to be selected for a second straight year are taekwondo star Jamie Simpson-Kidd from Silsden and volunteer Linda Bussey, director of the Bradford Park Run.

Bradford's Dragonboat Festival was highly commended last year in the Sporting Highlight category, and they are represented this time around by the Bradford Barracudas Dragonboat team, who have also been nominated in the non-professional Club/Team section.

Other nominees in this section are Bradford Bulls Women, Bradford Disability Sport-Special Olympics National Summer Games Team.

Dave and Eileen Woodhead, from Keighley, are nominated in the Special Recognition category, having just retired after more than 30 years' of fell race organising.

Further information is available from organisers activebradford.co.uk/bsa

BRADFORD SPORTING AWARDS 2018 NOMINEES

Senior Achievers (over-18)

Sportsman: John Bateman, Jonny Bairstow, Mohammed Harris Akbar.

Sportswoman: Amy Hardcastle, Katelyn Entwistle, Rebekah Tiler.

Disability Sportsperson: Farah Yasin, Nathan O'Mara, Steven Birkin.

Club/Team (non-professional): Bradford Barracudas, East Bradford Cycling Club, Phoenix Women's Football Team.

Club/Team (professional): Bradford Bulls Women, Bradford City FC.

Young Achievers (under-18)

Young Male Sportsperson: Harrison Green, Jack Stanley, Jamie Simpson-Kidd.

Young Female Sportsperson: Ellie Bowden, Hermione Roe, Holly Waxman.

Young Disability Sportsperson: Carter Roberts, Josh Pullen, T-jay Wilson.

Young Club/Team: City of Bradford Esprit Diving Club, Horizon Taekwondo, Team Xtreme Cheer and Dance.

Active Achievers

Active Lifestyle: Catherine McKendrick, Jodie Carter.

Active Workplace: City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, University of Bradford Union of Students.

Active Schools: Baildon Church of England Primary School, Girlington Primary School, Newhall Park Primary School.

Student Club/Team: Bradford University Men's Football Club, Carlton Bolling Girls' Cricket Team, University of Bradford Men's Lacrosse Team.

Outstanding Contribution

Coach: Joe Meszaroz, Mally McIver, Mark Prescott, Zaheer Jaffary.

Volunteer: Linda Bussey, Mandy Parker, Mark Lightowler.

Sporting Highlight: Bradford Barracudas Dragonboat Team, Bradford Bulls Women, Bradford Disability Sport-Special Olympics National Summer Games Team.

Special Recognition: Andy Watmuff, Dave and Eileen Woodhead, John Galt.