The outstanding achievements of Enfield’s young athletes were celebrated in a glittering ceremony following the borough’s best performance in years at the London Youth Games.
The event at Dugdale Arts Centre was attended by Mayor of Enfield Suna Hurman, Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Open Spaces and Local Economy, Cllr Chinelo Anyanwu, and Commonwealth champion Tony Jarrett who was born in the borough.
The award ceremony, hosted by the Council’s Active Enfield team, was an opportunity to celebrate and thank the young athletes who came away with 20 gold medals, nine silver, and 30 bronze in the 2022/23 Youth Games. It is hoped that more young people will come forward for this season of sport having been inspired by last year’s medal winners.
Cllr Anyanwu said: “It was a real privilege to meet the young people who competed at the London Youth Games and to listen to their remarkable stories of achievement. Enfield is investing in sport, making opportunities more accessible to people from all backgrounds and all abilities. We have parks’ tennis courts being refurbished across the borough, a fantastic football programme in Edmonton, a new provider for our leisure centres by the end of the year and a fantastic programme of activities administered by Active Enfield. Congratulations to our athletes and I look forward to another exciting year of competitive sport.”
Cllr Anyanwu shared the stage with Tony Jarrett who won gold at the Commonwealth Games in 1990 and 1998 as well as other accolades. His speech inspired the crowd as he shared his personal journey, emphasizing the importance of hard work and determination.
In addition, 17-year-old Enfield resident Amarlie Wilkinson made a speech about his commitment to basketball and appointment as the Captain of the Enfield London Youth Games Basketball team. He spoke of his historic achievement of securing the first UK championship gold medal with his team in 2023.
The London Youth Games uses the power of competitive sport to create life-changing opportunities for all young Londoners. To get involved in the 2023/24 season, email sport@enfield.gov.uk for more information.
Enfield Youth Games Athletes
Cllr Anyanwu, Mayor of Enfield and Tony Jarrett
Tony Jarrett with one of his gold medals
