OLYMPIC cycling silver medallist Ross Edgar has been voted Suffolk's Sports Personality of the Year for 2008.

Nick Garnham

OLYMPIC cycling silver medallist Ross Edgar has been voted Suffolk's Sports Personality of the Year for 2008.

The Newmarket-based rider scooped the accolade at last night's gala evening, organised by Suffolk Sport in partnership with BBC Radio Suffolk, which was attended by 300 people at Trinity Park, Ipswich.

Edgar was a member of the highly-successful British Cycling Track Team in Beijing, winning a silver medal in the Kerin final, where he was beaten only by GB team-mate Chris Hoy. He also won silver at the World Championships in Manchester as part of the Team Sprint earlier in the year.

Edgar, who is currently in Japan, said in a pre-recorded video message: “Being in Beijing competing for the Great Britain team was an unforgettable experience and to come away with a silver medal was a dream come true.”

He pipped Suffolk's two other Beijing Olympians - Great Saxham's Sharon Hunt, who won a three-day eventing bronze medal as part of the five-strong GB team, and Ipswich hockey star Jo Ellis - to win the Larking Gowen Sports Personality of the Year award.

British Javelin under-15 record holder Matti Mortimore was named the Hunters Land Rover Ipswich Young Sports Personality of the Year. Mortimore is the number one javelin thrower at under 17 level in both England and Great Britain.

The 15-year-old from Newbourne, who admitted he was surprised to win, said: “It is a great privilege to be accepted by your county and just to be nominated shows someone is looking out for you.”

Two football teams scooped the senior and junior team of the year awards for their efforts in national competitions.

Lowestoft Town FC, who reached the final of the FA Vase at Wembley, took the Touchline Sports Senior Team of the Year and the Suffolk FA Under-18 football team, who won the FA County Youth Cup and the East Anglian Counties Championship, claimed the Harrod UK Ltd Junior Team of the Year award.

Ipswich Harriers athletics coach Steve Benson, whose runners have enjoyed national success and gone on to represent Great Britain, was awarded the Sport 4 Suffolk Coach of the Year, and Ipswich Basketball Club, now the fifth largest basketball club in the country, won the Hunters Land Rover Ipswich Club of the Year category.

The evening featured a special presentation to the Suffolk-based Olympians and Paralympians by Lord Tollemache, Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk, in partnership with Adam Baker, Suffolk's 2012 project manager.

Hunt and Ellis were joined on stage by Paralympian Brian Alldis for a question and answer session, but javelin thrower Goldie Sayers and wheelchair basketball player Caroline Maclean were unable to attend.

Bill Tancred, chairman of Suffolk Sport Board, told the audience: “Suffolk you have done yourselves very, very proud. For 2012 I think we will have more than six participants - I think we will have twenty.”

Awards winners

The Larking Gowen Sports Personality of the Year Award

Winner: Ross Edgar (cycling). Runners-up: Sharon Hunt (three-day eventing), Jo Ellis (hockey). Highly commended: Stefanie Biller (swimming).

The Hunters Land Rover Ipswich Young Sports Personality of the Year Award

Winner: Matti Mortimore (javelin). Runners-up: Chris Walker-Hebborn (swimming), Ellis Jackson (swimming),

Alessia Thomas-Jackson (alpine skiing),

The BBC Radio Suffolk Unsung Hero Award

Winner: Don and Pat Neate (swimming). Runners-up: Donna Mills (hockey), John Halls (rugby).

The Sport 4 Suffolk Coach of the Year Award

Winner: Steve Benson (athletics). Runners-up: Ian Cotton (swimming), Andy Wood (gymnastics). Highly commended: Jane Jiggins (rollerskating), Nigel Brown (rugby).

The Suffolk Disability Sport Academy Contribution to Disability Sport Award

Winner: Claire O'Brien Ellington (wheelchair football). Runners-up: Suffolk Spartans Power Lifting Club), Alan Taylor (Warren School).

The Hunters Land Rover Ipswich Club of the Year Award

Winner: Ipswich Basketball Club. Runners-up: Stowmarket Badminton Club, Orwell Panthers Athletics Club.

The Touchline Sports Senior Team of the Year Award

Winner: Lowestoft Town Football Club. Runners-up: Ipswich Wolves futsal team, Ipswich Hockey Club women's indoor first team.

The Harrod UK Junior Team of the Year Award

Winner: Suffolk FA U18 football team. Runners-up: Farlingaye High School U13 boys' rugby team, Kirkley High School U16 girls' football team. Highly commended: Bury Rugby Club U10 squad.

The Suffolk School Sport Partnerships School of the Year Award

Winner: Sir Robert Hitchams Primary School, Framlingham. Runners-up: Debenham High School, Leiston High School. Highly commended: Kingsfleet Primary School, Breckland Middle School.

The Nemisys Enterprises Ltd Innovative Project Award

Winner: Game On and Jumpers for Goalposts. Runners-up: MEGA Project, James Lucy.

The Suffolk County Council Spirit of the Games Award

Winner: Edwin Mhende, Rosie Wowk and Ashlea Smith. Runners-up: St Edmundsbury boys' hockey team, St Edmundsbury athletics team.

The Fitness Unit Triumph over Adversity Award

Winner: Gordon Merfield (triathlon). Runners-up: Evangelina Edwards, George Chanarin. Highly commended: Zoe Newson, Oliver Hedgley.