By Tom Degun in Birmingham

Jessica_EnnisNovember 5 - The International Convention Centre (ICC) here is all set to host the 29th annual Commonwealth Sports Awards tomorrow evening less than a month after the conclusion of the Delhi 2010 Games.


The prestigious awards, launched in 1980 by Al Hamilton, see the cream of Commonwealth sporting talent honoured - not just the athletes that participated in India - with some of the world's most high-profile stars in contention for the biggest prizes.

Jamaican sprint icon Usain Bolt is the lead contender in the Outstanding Male category where he faces competition from Cypriot shooter George Achilleos and Australian diver Matthew Mitcham, while English heptathlete Jessica Ennis (pictured) is nominated alongside Scottish rower Katherine Grainger and Indian badminton star Saina Nehwal in the Outstanding Female category.

English archer Danielle Brown, who became the first disabled athlete ever to compete for England in an able-bodied event in Delhi, has been shortlisted in the Outstanding Female with a Disability category along with swimmers Sophie Pascoe of New Zealand and Cyprus' Karolina Pelendritou.

Rower Andrew Holmes of Scotland has been shortlisted for Outstanding Young Achiever - a prize for athletes under 18-years-old - while the England's men's hockey team have been nominated for the Outstanding Team award.

Nominations for the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award are Jamaican netball legend Molly Rhone of Jamaica - the President of the International Federation of Netball Associations - squash icon Susie Simcock from New Zealand and Patrick Watts of the Falkland Islands.

The event will also feature a new award category to honour sports journalists from the Commonwealth for the first time in their illustrious history.

Previous winners at the Commonwealth Sports Awards include the likes of Olympic gold medallist heptathlete Denise Lewis, cricketing legend Brian Lara, footballer stars Dwight Yorke and Michael Owen, boxing icons Lennox Lewis and Joe Calzaghe, triple Olympic champion cyclist Sir Chris Hoy and three-time London Marathon winner Paula Radcliffe.

Commonwealth Games Federation President Mike Fennell is set to attend, while Hamilton admitted he is anticipating a fantastic night.

He told insidethegames: "We are delighted to have secured a venue as fantastic as the ICC.

"Birmingham has pulled out all the stops and I cannot praise Birmingham City Council Leader Mike Whitby enough as he has been magnificent in helping us put all of this together.

"I'm sure Birmingham will put on a fantastic show on Saturday night that will do the city and the event proud."

The Commonwealth Sports Awards are an added boost for Birmingham with the city also set to host the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards next month for the first time since 2007.

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