In Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council’s Junior Sports Awards, Katesbridge’s Sinead Byrne picked up the award for “Youth Female of the Year”. From a group of eight other well deserving nominees, Sinead was the successful award recipient.
Sinead currently studies the Sport and Exercise Level 5 Foundation Degree at Southern Regional College’s (SRC) Newry campus and trains 4-5 times a week with Banbridge’s Ballyvalley Archers. This heavy training schedule includes a gym strength training session alongside technique and situation training.
Sinead has found her Sports and Exercise Foundation Degree course has really helped her compete at an international level, as modules such as Sports Analysis and Sports Psychology are directly linked to her performances.
Speaking on her recent success at the ABC Junior Sports Awards, Sinead said:
“To become Youth Female of the Year is amazing. It’s putting the sport more out there to be recognised and shows where you can go within the sport. It’s a reward for the hard work I have put into the sport and it’s nice to be recognised for that. I love the sport and receiving this award has shown me the hours of training are worth it.
Sinead’s recent success is one of several recently obtained. Sinead has represented Great Britain at the European Youth Cup where she won an individual silver and team bronze medals in the competition and a team silver medal at the European Junior Championships. Sinead is also the current Senior and Junior Northern Ireland Indoor Champion. This hard earned success is a result of competing within the sport for the past 10 years.
On plans to capitalise on current success, Sinead hopes to compete within the World Championships. In terms of future academic success and career thoughts, Sinead intends to further her sporting knowledge by completing the top-up BSc Honours Degree in Sport and Exercise BSc at SRC’s Newry campus and hopes to pursue a career in Sports Therapy.
Mark Copeland, lecturer at Southern Regional College commented:
“Sinead is a very deserving winner of the Youth Sports Award in a highly competitive field of other top sports stars. Her sporting success and dedication to her academic studies is a reward for the hard work and effort put into both. I wish Sinead continued success in not only her sport but also her academic studies and look forward to reading about future success stories.”
Lastly, words of advice from this international medal winner to aspiring archers:
“Just have fun and enjoy the sport. If you put your mind to it, you can achieve great things.”