Fletcher and Francis cop National Sports Awards

by Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, Feb. 5, CMC - Pan American Games medalist Sherry Fletcher and bodybuilding champion Vonne Francis have copped the 2007 sportswoman and sportsman of the year awards respectively held on the weekend.

Fletcher, who had an outstanding 2007 outdoor season, won the award from a field of seven female nominees to claim her first national sports award title.

Fletcher, the track and field female nominee, is the 200 metres bronze medalist at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, where she also finished fifth in the 100 metres.

The sprinter also reached the quarter-finals in both the 100 and 200 metres at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan.

Fletcher also posted national records of 11.18 and 22.67 seconds in 2007 and won the 2007 NCAA 100 metres in a time of 11.20 seconds.

This is the second major award for Fletcher after being polled as the top performer in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) in 2007.

Meanwhile, Francis overcame the challenge from nine other nominees including world indoor 400m champion Alleyne Francique, who has copped the sports award on four consecutive occasions. It was the first time a bodybuilder won the national sports award.

Francis, the Grenada Amateur Bodybuilding Federation nominee, won the Light weight division and the overall Mr. Eastern Caribbean at the 2007 Eastern Caribbean Bodybuilding Championship in Trinidad last July.

The talented 32 year-old Grenadian also copped the light heavyweight division at the Central American and Caribbean Championships held in Bermuda in October.

The 14-year-old IAAF World Youth 400-metre silver medalist Kirani James was named the junior sportsman while swimmer Ayesha Marie Noel copped the junior sportswoman title.

Former President of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC), Dr. Amadeo Francis was the guest speaker at the ceremony.