Young sports personalities of the year hope the award will catapult them to international success.

Cricketer Gharib Razak and triathlete Richard Moyle celebrated jointly winning our Taywood Homes-sponsored award with the news that they are being touted by two major sporting academies.

A-Level student Richard and Gharib, aiming for his GCSEs, are both 16 and students at Oakbank School. They plan to make their mark on the national and international sports scene. Gharib, a fast bowler, has just been granted a scholarship by Yorkshire's cricket academy which picks the cream of young cricketing talent. Richard is wanted by Lough-borough University when he completes his A-levels next year.

Gharib is the first Asian cricketer from Keighley to be given a scholarship. It could lead to an appearance for the full county side if he makes the progress his teachers and cricket coaches expect.

"We have high hopes for Gharib," says former Yorkshire bowler Arnie Sidebottom, now in charge of the county's cricketing academy. "We are very interested in him and hope he can progress to the full side."

Gharib earned a call up for the England junior side after smashing the county bowling records last summer.

Richard is the second best young triathlete in Britain.

They were selected from the six monthly winners of our competition, chosen from two dozen original entrants.

Presenting the duo's £125 prize on Tuesday, Taywood's northern regional director John Carter says the two years of the competition have brought forward local talent from across the sporting spectrum.

"Our winners have been a cyclist, shooter, lady cricketer, athlete, all-rounder, two divers, a rugby player, walker and triathlete," he said. "The award is part of our on-going support for young people and it shows the quality of the young sportsmen and women in the area that again we found it difficult to pick an overall winner.

"We plan to give our support to young people in the future."

Keighley News editor Malc-olm Hoddy adds: "Both Gharib and Richard are excellent ambassadors for their schools, their sports and the town. They have proven themselves on a personal and national level through their achievements."

County awards, page 16

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