The borough’s young sportspeople, their coaches and volunteers were feted at a ceremony in King’s Cross recognising successes across the 49th London Youth Games, the School Games and the ParaGames.
Participation and performance
The awards night celebrated the scale of local involvement: around 500 athletes represented the borough during the Games, while a further 1,500 youngsters competed in borough-wide school competitions over the past 12 months. The event brought together pupils from primary and secondary schools, club athletes and the volunteers who support them.
Individual and team achievements were recognised across a range of sports. Highlights included:
- Torriano Primary School — crowned Camden Active Schools Champions (Kentish Town)
- Christ Church Primary — winners of the Camden Active Schools Single School Entry category (Hampstead)
- Layla Zabci and Georgia Surtees — joint winners of the London Youth Games Outstanding Girls’ Award for gold-medal performances in judo and BMX respectively
- Josh Zobel — named Camden’s Outstanding Boy after defending his judo title
- Jermaine McQueen — Volunteer of the Year for managing the boys’ basketball team
Team and para-sport recognition
Team awards showcased both conventional and para-sport success. The athletics squad claimed the London Youth Games Outstanding Boys’ Team Award, while the girls’ cross-country squad from Highgate Harriers received the Outstanding Girls’ Team Award for the borough’s best girls’ team placing.
| Award | Recipient |
|---|---|
| Volunteer of the Year | Jermaine McQueen |
| Outstanding Boy | Josh Zobel |
| Outstanding Girls’ Team | Highgate Harriers (cross-country) |
| Outstanding Para Boys’ Team | Athletics squad (13 individual medals, overall team bronze) |
What this means locally
The ceremony underlined the scale of grassroots sporting engagement across the borough and neighbouring areas, as schools and clubs provided pathways into competitive sport and para-sport. For pupils and volunteers, the event was recognition of sustained commitment — from training and competition to the organisation and coaching that enable young people to take part.
For parents and guardians considering sport options for children, the awards show that local primary and secondary schools, as well as community clubs such as Mike’s Judo Club and Highgate Harriers, are active in developing talent and offering competitive opportunities. The prominence of volunteers among the winners also highlights how much these programmes rely on community contribution.
Further details about local clubs, school sports programmes and how to get involved are available through borough sports development pages and individual school websites.
