Karate kid is Sports Personality of the Year

NINE YEAR OLD Karissa Ho has won the 2018 Canary Wharf Group Sports Personality of the Year award. The award was presented – in front of local sports enthusiasts, players and administrators, and dignitaries gathered in Canary Wharf’s own East Wintergarden – by England bowler Monty Panesar.

Karissa Ho receiving the Canary Wharf Sports Personality of the Year Award from Monty Panesar

Karissa has packed a wealth of karate success into the last four years. She began learning Goju Ryu Karate four years ago and has already participated in 19 national and four international competitions, winning 14 gold, twelve silver and four bronze medals. Recently she represented Great Britain at the Japan Karate Federation Gofu Kai World Championships.

Three local sports groups were recognised for their achievements last year: Ko Yudansha Karate (Karissa’s own club), Vallance Disability Football Team and the London Cricket League.

Canary Wharf Group’s Managing Director and Company Secretary John Garwood said, “Congratulations to all the fantastic nominees and winners at this year’s Canary Wharf Sports Personality of the Year Awards. This event is a highlight of our year and I am always blown away by the talent and dedication of the nominees and the volunteers who support them.”

Winners of Canary Wharf Group Sports Awards 2018

Sports Personality of the Year for 2018
Karissa Ho

Junior Team of the Year
Ko Yudansha Karate
Ko Yudansha Karate have excelled in 2018 the 15-strong team won 52 medals across 17 tournaments around the country and in Europe. The team have spent time improving tactics and physical conditioning which contributed to an incredibly strong showing at the Association’s End of Year International competition. The team’s results at this tournament helped their club to reach second place overall; outstanding for a small club. The team are now well placed to seize their opportunities leading toward the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and beyond.

Senior Team of the Year
Vallance Disability Football Team
Vallance Disability Football Team is made up of players from the Disability Sports Programme at Vallance and they have been training with the club for the past three years. The team entered the South London Special League in September 2017 and have been playing every month since. So far the team have entered ten events and won eight and finished runners up twice.

Group Achievement Award
London Cricket League
London Cricket League is a community sports organisation that emerged in 2017 with the popular format T10 & T20 tournaments and league for the large numbers of different age groups. LCL successfully organised a number  of cricketing events in 2018 including; Junior Cricket Championship, LCL T20 Sunday League, UK Bangla T10 media cup, T10 Gold Cup Tournament, LCL T20 Sunday League and the UK Bangla T10 media cup.

The Canary Wharf Group is a wholly owned joint venture between Brookfield Property Partners and the Qatar Investment Authority.

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