The Olympic and Paralympic high-performance community came together for the PLx Awards on Tuesday evening, where outstanding achievements and contributions of individuals, teams and sports during 2023 were recognised.
The annual coming together of the high-performance community took place in Stratford-upon-Avon, where seven award winners from the sector across Olympic and Paralympic sport were celebrated by their peers. There were awards in recognition of projects driving innovation across the sector, vital support staff as well and collaboration at the event celebrations.
The PLx Awards 2023, powered by The National Lottery, is a celebration of the outstanding achievements of those who continue to contribute to making extraordinary sporting moments happen. The Awards are part of PLx, the annual conference for leaders from the high-performance community to connect, collaborate and learn.
The 2023 edition of the PLx awards was hosted by UK Sport Chair Dame Katherine Grainger and Tokyo Paralympian Lyndon Longhorne who made the final in the S4 100m freestyle.
The full list of winners is:
The Spirit of High-Performance Award
This award recognises a sport, member of staff, athlete or team that has risen to a challenge and done so in a way that embodies, what you interpret to be ‘the spirit of high-performance.’
Chris Skelley & Jack Hodgson - VI Judo
The prestigious Spirit of High-Performance Award went to VI Judokas Chris Skelley and Jack Hodgson following impressive success throughout their careers in which they have both displayed powerfully positive values, harnessing the true power and connection of sport. The award was given in recognition of their partnership, friendship, and support despite the challenges faced throughout the current Paralympic cycle competing for a spot in the same weight category.
“To be able to share this journey with him means everything and to have the support of British Judo, The National Lottery, UK Sport who believed in me and Jack and the team to let us go round and represent our country is a massive honour. I’m just very grateful for everything they’ve supported us with.” - Chris Skelley
“It’s absolutely heartbreaking [that only one of us could go to the Games] but when we did find out we just went for a coffee together, sat down, looked at each other in the eyes and agreed it is what it is. Whoever goes, goes and whoever doesn’t go will be there as a training partner and that was it. That was the agreement we struck. We continue to encourage each other and critique each other when we’re up against one another. We want to push each other. We’ve always had that mentality, we’re teammates and we’re not going to stop now just because there’s only one space left for the Games. Like I said we’ll be each other’s training partner, the best training partner we can be regardless.” - Jack Hodgson
Athlete Breakthrough Award
This award recognises the athlete who has had the biggest performance turnaround or breakthrough in the last year.
Matt Weston – Skeleton
Among the winners is Skeleton world champion Matt Weston, claiming the Athlete Breakthrough Award after making history becoming the first British male to claim the world title whilst spearheading the most successful season for GB on the ice.
“I wasn’t expecting to be up here, there were some pretty amazing performances from Summer and Winter sports this year so just to be nominated was enough for me.
“I believe the team around us have put us in a really good place. We’re in such a better place, I’ve had a pretty successful year it wasn’t just me, but the rest of the team as well. There are a few goals I haven’t hit yet so I’ve got my eyes set on them, mainly Milan!”
Coach Award
This award recognises a current coach who has challenged themselves to achieve exceptional and inspiring performances in the last year.
Pat Sharples – GB Snowsport
GB Snowsport Head Coach Pat Sharples has overseen a remarkable turnaround in the last year, and as a result, was named winner of the Coach Award after GB delivered record podium placings.
“I’m just gobsmacked, I wasn’t expecting this at all. For me coaching is the greatest job in the world, if it wasn’t my job I’d still be doing it in my free time. I’ve loved the whole journey, coaching the youngsters on the dry slopes right through to being able to do it at the highest level.
“I don’t think I’d be up here without the coach leadership course by UK Sport, all of the support that I got from the coach developers, the people who ran that course, who put that on for me and all the other coaches who were on the programme who are now my friends and I can reach out to them at any time. It’s a real team effort.”
Support Staff Award
This award recognises the member of staff, from any specialism or role, who has challenged themselves to achieve exceptional and inspiring performances in the last year.
Emma Mitchell – England and Great Britain Hockey
Recognising the vital work behind the scenes, Performance Lifestyle Coach Emma Mitchell has been rewarded as winner of the Support Staff Award for her work with GB and England Hockey’s athletes.
“They’re not only incredible athletes but they’re incredible people and this role is so much about being alongside them on the journey. I feel privileged to be able to do it for nearly 17 years. It is the most rewarding job I’ve had, and I’m grateful to hockey for really integrating the service into the team, and into the whole support the athletes receive. I very much feel a part of the team and I know that they are grateful for the support they receive, so thank you.”
Innovation Award
This award recognises and celebrates an original innovation that has had a significant impact on a high-performance sport in the last year.
Caragh McMurtry, Neurodiverse Sport and the UK Sports Institute Mental Health Team
Former Olympic rower Caragh McMurtry won the Innovation Award alongside the UK Sports Institute Mental Health Team for her work in making sure sporting environments become more neuro-inclusive.
“It’s absolutely huge to have a platform at this awards ceremony, one of the biggest things that probably needs to shift to make sport more neuroinclusive is attitudes. It’s not a trend, neurodivergence has existed forever and people have just been suffering in silence.
“That’s probably why it’s so important that we’re working with the UK Sport Institute’s mental health team, because although the two are not mutually exclusive, the way things are set up at the moment in society and sport means that neurodivergent people are more prone to mental health issues but we can change that. We all have the power to change that, and it starts with cultural change and just making it acceptable to be different.”
Collaboration and Teamwork Award
This award recognises a team that has collaborated or worked together to deliver a significant impact, improving high-performance in their field.
Women’s Track Sprint team – GB Cycling Team
The GB Cycling Women’s Track Sprint Team featuring Katy Nicholls, Sophie Capewell, Lauren Bell and Emma Finucane, claimed the Collaboration and Teamwork Award after a hugely successful year on the track ranking third in the world and claiming silver at the World and Europeans.
“It’s been a great year for us for the team and really grateful to receive this award in recognition of that. Teamwork is really important to us and we have worked really hard on what that has meant and should look like this year. So it is nice to see that is paying off.” - Emma Finucane
Social impact and/or Sustainability Award
This award recognises a sport, member of staff or athlete who has harnessed the power of their platform to contribute towards societal change.
Daniel Powel – VI Judo
VI Judoka Daniel Powell claimed the Social Impact Award as recognition for his commitment to making combat sport more accessible through his charity, GNR8 Academy.
“I grew up on a council estate in Liverpool, you know sport especially performance sport is not looked at, at all. Being given the opportunity to perform in my sport isn’t an opportunity I can give back but it’s an opportunity to enable young people to do the best they can and see all the benefits of sport that I have.
“I always talk about putting different hats on, so when I’m in the dojo I’ve got my Judo hat on, when I’m in the gym I put my work hat on, when I’m at home I have my Dad hat on, without the team that I’ve got, the amazing people at British Judo, without all of these people around me helping me to spin all these plates I would be lost without them. They help my world go round.”
Dame Katherine Grainger, Chair of UK Sport said: “What year of fantastic performances from incredible individuals. I’d like to thank, and congratulate, every nominee, every winner, as well as the amazing array of people who played a role in helping to create these special moments.
"With the Olympic and Paralympic Games just around the corner, the past year has been crucial for all sports heading into Paris 2024 and for those on the journey to Milan 2026, a very busy one too. It can be too easy to keep moving forward with the increasing momentum, so it’s important that we take the time to pause, to recognise and celebrate.
“It has been another inspiring sporting year with world-class events taking place in the UK and world-leading performances on show from British athletes. Much of this has been made possible thanks to the support of The National Lottery.
"We’ve also seen a positive change in putting social impact and sustainability at the heart of sporting operations and activity. As ever there is so much to celebrate and also to look forward to.”