PARALYMPIAN Paul Blake scooped the prestigious athlete of the year award at Dorchester Athletic Club’s end of year trophy and presentation night at the Wessex Royale Hotel.

The T36 star was honoured for his exploits in the Olympic stadium last August where he won silver in the 400m and bronze in the 800m.

Blake also topped the British rankings, for athletes with cerebral palsy, at 400m, 800m and 1,500m and ranked third in the 200m.

His outstanding world rankings are sixth for 200m, third for 800m, second in the 400m and first in the 1,500m.

All aspects of the sport were covered at the presentation, from the under-11s through to the seniors and from track and field to sportshall and to cross-country.

Those presenting the awards were the county town’s deputy mayor Tess James, officers of Dorchester Lions Club and retiring endurance coach, Janet Letherby.

For the second year in succession, the most decorated athlete of the night was Kirsty Wickham who retained the three trophies, the women’s hurdles, multi-events and senior women’s overall championship that she won in 2011-12, as well as winning the jumps trophy after being the runner up last year.

On top of the rostrum in the endurance events was Honor Slade who also retained her award from last year. Slade made it a brace of titles by also winning the throws title after being runner-up a year ago. Her versatility led to her finishing second to Wickham in the overall women’s category.

Third in the overall senior women’s championship was Kelly Allan who replicated that place in the jumps.

Second in the jumps was Rachel Dumbrell who equalled that placing in the hurdles before collecting the winner’s trophy as the girls’ overall champion.

Runner-up to Dumbrell was Lucie Fry who was also second in the throws and third in the hurdles.

Completing the girls’ podium in third was Tara Chittenden, who was also runner-up in the endurance.

The last discipline winner for the girls’ was Anna James who won the sprint award, again retaining the title she won last year.

Other medal winners included Hannah Jeanes, Megan Edwards and Charlotte Faulkner.

The best women’s sprint performance of the year went to Holly Butt in a new under-17 club record of 25.4secs in the 200m.

Best endurance performance was claimed by Tara-Jayne Chittenden in the under-15 girls 1,500m, with a national grade one time of 4.44.48mins.

There were two other club records set in 2012, Dumbrell in the under-15 girls’ 300m and Slade in the under-17 women’s 1,500m steeplechase.

In the male categories, two athletes won a brace of titles.

Matt Fry won the sprints cup and senior man overall and Ethan Bartha-Grennan took the jumps and the boys’ overall title, while bagging third in the sprints. Retaining the hurdles trophy was Steven Rowe.

A new name was added to the Reeves Shield as Ryan Smith won the throws category and finished second to Fry in the men’s overall.

Third in the men’s championship was James Faulkner. He was also champion in the endurance category.

Behind Bartha-Grennan, in joint second position in the boys’ overall title were William Bowen-Ashwin and Matthew Elliott.

Elliott was also second in the jumps and hurdles while Bowen-Ashwin was third in the throws.

Other medal winners included Dan Jeanes, Peter Horne, Hugh Ireland, Alistair Tuck and Charles Hutchings.

In the younger age groups, the under-11 boy of the year was won by Harry O’Donoghue with Khai Locke-White in second and Max Fitzgerald-Zimmer third.

The girls’ equivalent was won by Maddy Johnson, ahead of Yasmin Radivojsa and joint third-placed athletes, Gemma Wyatt and Becky Warland.

During the winter, many of the endurance runners turn their attention to the cross-country season and this year the champions were Jacob Coombs and Hilary Hansford. Other medallists were Nick Ireland, Flora Johnson, Fergus Johnson and Shelby Cross.

While the hardened endurance runners continue to compete in all weathers, especially the cold this year, a lot of the track athletes compete indoors in the Sportshall League. Sportshall champions were Khai Locke-White and Georgia Smith. Runners-up were Max Fitzgerald-Zimmer and Yasmin Radivojsa and third places went to Harry O’Donoghue and Kristina Pugh.

The young achiever of the year was won by Alex Cocker; improver of the year went to Olivia Foice and the most promising newcomer award went to Shelby Cross.

Club personality of the year, which is voted for by all members of the club, went to Kelly Allan and the club helper trophy was claimed by Ollie Bellamy.

The young club athlete of the year is awarded to the member who has achieved good results consistently across a wide range of events but has won no other award.

This year’s talented winner was Imogen Slade.