Tennis protege aces Canary Wharf Sports Award

The number-one ranked under-13 tennis player in the UK aced the competition at the Canary Wharf Sports Awards on Thursday evening.

Lucas Taylor was presented with the Sports Personality of the Year award by former winner and current Olympic hopeful Perri Shakes-Drayton at a ceremony at East Wintergarden.

Taylor, from Tower Hamlets, has won the British Junior Under-12 singles and doubles championships, juggling his school work with tournaments around the UK and Europe.

Shakes-Drayton, who won the award in 2005, recently won two bronze medals at the European Athletics Championships athletics team. She presented awards and spoke about her build-up to the 2012 Olympics, telling the room of young athletes to “find a sport that you love and put all your efforts into it”.

Shakes-Drayton outlined the challenges of studying at university while preparing for the Games and said that watching films was one way she relaxes from her hectic schedule.

The tenth annual awards, sponsored by Canary Wharf Group, recognised sporting achievements from east London teams.

Other winners included: Shiners FC, Junior Team of the Year; Morpeth School table tennis, Senior Team of the Year; and Tower Hamlets Schools gymnastics and dance, Group Achievement Award.

John Garwood, group company secretary at Canary Wharf Group, said: “Sport unites people of all ages and backgrounds; it teaches people to achieve success and how to persevere.

“I suggest people take a good look at tonight’s winners, as they could soon be achieving great things on the national and international stage.”