Olympic wondergirl Emma Pooley took the accolades at Friday night's Eastern Daily Press Active Norfolk Norfolk Sports Awards.

Emma, a former Norwich school pupil, played a major part in the hugely successful British cycling team that captured the nation's interest in the Beijing Olympics.

Not only did Emma win a silver medal in the time-trial event but she also unselfishly helped team-mate Nicole Cooke to a gold medal in the women's road race, playing a vital pace-making role.

And she was rewarded by Norfolk Sports Awards judges by being chosen as Sports Personality of the Year and the Active Norfolk Winner of Winners.

She saw off competition from fellow finalists Kelly Shorten, a British champion water skier, and athlete Rick Ward, who won the England Athletics National Indoor Under-20 Championship over 800m, to collect the top prize at the gala ceremony at the Holiday Inn hotel, Norwich.

The Young Sports Personality of the Year attracted the highest number of nominations and provided proof that the county has a strong crop of young sporting talent waiting in the wings to make their name on the big stage.

Winner was Anne Bochmann, an incredible young swimmer who won three gold medals at the European Junior Championships in Belgrade and missed out on competing in the Beijing Olympics by just 0.13 seconds. She broke the 400m individual medley British record and the British 400m freestyle record and actually travelled with the British swimming squad to Beijing as a hopeful for London 2012.

Team of the Year went to the Norfolk England Schools Athletics squad. This band of athletes brought home the Minor Counties title at the English Schools event in Gateshead for the first time since 1964. By the rules of the event, Norfolk was limited to taking 25 athletes but so impressive was the team's strength that they would have finished third in the Group B counties that are allowed to include 35 athletes.

A well-known double act collected the Coach of the Year award. Tim and Pauline Ash are a husband and wife unit, 100pc committed to athletics and coaching the youngsters at City of Norwich AC. They have a very successful group of athletes which include Great Britain representatives at the 2007 European Cross Country, 2008 World Cross Country and 2008 World Junior Track, and England representatives at the 2008 Indoor Track and Field meetings, 2008 Commonwealth Youth Championships and 2008 Schools Internationals.

The Keith Peel Services to Sport Award was won by last year's Coach of the Year winner Ali Wardale. Ali has been involved in Norfolk hockey for more than 30 years and is a member of Norwich City Hockey Club. He is the youth development officer there, having set up a youth section in 1986. He also works closely with the Taverham High School Sport Partnership and was joint chairman of the Norfolk Hockey Association and Youth Committee.

Inspirational Sports Person of the Year was Mel Clarke, a highly successful archer who brought home a bronze medal for Team GB in the Paralympics. Mel has been in a wheelchair since the age of 11 and has also overcome the potentially fatal Lyme disease which threatened her archery career and left her blind in one eye. One nomination simply said: “Mel is a shining example to lots of people of what can be achieved in difficult circumstances. A credit to her family.”

And the Sports School of the Year category was won by Acle High which strives to ensure that sport inspires and raises the aspirations of the whole school. In the past year, 45 pupils have achieved the British Sports Trust Leaders Award and a further 35 Year 11 pupils have become junior football and netball organisers, providing tournaments for more than 60 pupils from feeder primary schools. Acle also won the Yarmouth District Football League for the first time in 50 years.

The event proved to be a resounding success with former Norwich City footballers Darren Huckerby and Craig Fleming taking part in a lively Q&A session while compere for the evening was Radio Norfolk football commentator Chris Goreham.

EDP Sports Awards Winners

Sports Personality of the Year:
Winner: Emma Pooley
Runners-up: Kelly Shorten and Rick Ward

Young Sports Person of the Year:
Winner: Anne Bochmann
Runners-up: Thomas Baldwin and Oliver Bradfield

Team of the Year:
Winner: Norfolk’s England Schools Athletics Team
Runners-up: King’s Lynn Football Club and Swardeston Cricket Club

Coach of the Year:
Winners: Tim & Pauline Ash (combined)
Runners-up: Katie Brooks and Nick McAllen

Inspirational Sports Person of the Year:
Winner: Mel Clarke
Runners-up : Anne Bochmann and Danny Nobbs

Sports School of the Year:
Winner: Acle High School
Runners-Up: Broadland High School and Hellesdon School

Keith Peel Services To Sport Award
Winner: Ali Wardale
Runners-up: Katie Brooks and Kay Edwards

Active Norfolk Winner of Winners
Emma Pooley