A HOST of Keighley area athletes have joined boxer Muhammad Ali in being nominated for the second Provident Bradford Sports Awards.

Ali is up for the Sportsman of the Year award, while shooter Michelle Smith is one of three nominated for the Sportswoman of the Year award.

Michelle, who learned her sport at

Keighley Rifle and Pistol Club, was the only competitor to gain a medal in all of the events that she competed in last May.

She took gold in the English Women's Prone Championship, silver in her weakest competition – the ten-metre air rifle – and bronze in the three-positional 50m.

In August at the National Championships, the 33-year-old helped Great Britain win the Randle Trophy team event, and has also been crowned British long range women's champion.

The other two nominations for Sportswoman of the Year award are Bradford rugby league player Danielle Bose and Bradford dragon boater Tracy-Marie Dickenson.

Silsden taekwondo star Jamie Simpson-Kidd has been nominated in the Young Achievers’ category alongside European junior cyclo-cross champion Tom Pidcock and Bradford boxer Mohammed Harris Akbar.

Simpson-Kidd reached the quarter-finals of the Cadet European Championships in Bucharest, despite the pain from a recently-broken foot.

He also won tournaments in Belgium and Luxembourg, as well as passing his 3rd Dan black belt.

There are four nominees on the female side, including Denholme’s Olympic weightlifter Rebekah Tiler and Keighley's Olympic taekwondo hopeful Leah Moorby.

Also nominated are karate ace Katelyn Entwistle and City of Bradford diver Evie Webb, from Gilstead.

Smith, who earned a distinction for her Foundation Degree in sports coaching at Bradford College, has also been nominated in the Student Sportsperson category, while Horizon Taekwondo Academy, who run courses in Silsden and Keighley, are in the non-professional club or team category.

Keighley Cougars are in the club or team professional category, while Horizon Taekwondo Academy and Bronte Tykes Junior Cycling Club are in the Young Achievers' club or team category.

Haworth Primary School are in a three-way fight in the Active Achievers school award, while veteran Oakbank table tennis coach Hans Soova is in a four-way battle for the Outstanding Contribution coach award.

Tickets for the event at the Bradford Hotel in Bradford on Thursday, March 2 can be purchased by visiting activebradford.com/bsa.

PROVIDENT BRADFORD SPORTS AWARDS

NOMINEES 2017

Senior Achievers – Sportsman: Adil Rashid, Elliott Whitehead, Muhammad Ali. Sportswoman: Danielle Bose, Michelle Smith, Tracy-Marie Dickenson. Disability Sportsperson: Coral Batey, George Herd, Mark Rhodes. Club or team (non-professional): Bumbles Bees RFC, Horizon Taekwondo Academy, Stephen Thorne & Ella Curtiss (Yorkshire & Humberside Special Olympic cycling team). Club or team (professional): Bradford City, Keighley Cougars, Bradford Park Avenue, Bradford Bulls.

Young Achievers (under-18s) – Male: Jamie Simpson-Kidd, Mohammed Harris Akbar, Tom Pidcock. Female: Evie Webb, Katelyn Entwistle, Leah Moorby, Rebekah Tiler. Disability: George Brooksbank, Matty Wilson, Toby Hunter. Club or team: Bronte Tykes Junior Cycling Club, Horizon Taekwondo Academy, Paul Milnes Cycles-Bradford Olympic RC.

Active Achievers – Lifestyle: Ivor Morgan, Raabya Pasha. Organisation or workplace: City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council. School: All Saints Church of England Primary School, Baildon Church of England Primary School, Haworth Primary School. Student Sportsperson: Michelle Smith, Harleen Kaur, Ryan Scholes. Student club or team: Carlton Bolling under-15 girls’ cricket team, Laisterdyke Leadership Academy School girls’ rugby team, University of Bradford Volleyball Club.

Outstanding contribution – Coach: Hans Soova, Paula Dunn, Shiv Dutt Krishan, Stuart Harrison. Volunteer: Hilary White, Judy Robinson, Linda Bussey, Taras Stefanyszyn.

Sporting highlight: AEGON Ilkley Tennis Trophy, Bradford City Runs, Dragonboat Festival.

Special recognition: Irene Tayton, Volunteers of Salts Sports Association.