British Swimming Head Coach Bill Furniss was honoured with a special achievement award at the annual Nottinghamshire Sports Awards which also rewarded Paralympic swimmer Ollie Hynd for his achievements in 2014.
The event recognised Furniss’s achievements as head coach of British Swimming, where he has overseen one of the country’s most successful spells in the pool, as well as former coach to double-Olympic champion Becky Adlington before her retirement after London 2012.
Last year British Swimming turned in a best ever performance at the European Championships to top the medal table following a Commonwealth Games for the home nations in Glasgow where they combined to break previous best medal returns.
Mansfield’s Ollie Hynd won the Disabled Sportsperson of the Year for the second year running, capping a memorable 2014 for the swimmer who shone at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and then at European Championships to add more gold to his collection.
Commonwealth Games gold medal winner Ben Proud was also rewarded for his 2014 performances when he was named The Plymouth Herald’s Sports Personality of the Year.
Plymouth's Coach of the Year award went to Proud’s coach Jon Rudd while the Champagne Moment award went to diver Sarah Barrow who added European gold to Commonwealth silver in the Women’s 10m.