Talented student-athletes from every school on the island were recognised at the 39th Denton Hurdle Memorial Awards on Thursday night.

The awards, named after the former Warwick Academy teacher who died at the age of 28 in 1985, are used to not only honour excellence on the field but academic achievement, leadership and character away from Bermuda’s pitches and courts.

Khari Sharrieff, a 17-year-old student at The Berkeley Institute, grabbed his own slice of history when he won the senior school boys award for the third straight year.

Denton Hurdle Awards photo gallery

Sharrieff, who was called up to the Bermuda Invitational XI for matches against Rhode Island in February, was thrilled to bring up a hat-trick of victories.

“It felt amazing,” Sharrieff said. “This is my third year in a row of winning and that was always the aim this year.

The teenager is about to head to Howard University to study kinesiology, and he says he took time to recognise himself as a leader.

“I never really saw myself as a leader until people came up to me and said that I advocated for myself well as a leader,” he said.

“From then on I really started to try to uplift others. I’m hoping to become a physiotherapist and come back to Bermuda to help young athletes with their injuries and help them progress as much as I did.”

Carina Bortoli, from Somersfield Academy, won the senior school girls prize, and was delighted to have been chosen among a group of successful young women.

“It felt really good when they called my name as the winner,” Bortoli said.

“I knew a lot of the girls who were nominated are very good athletes, so it was not easy to win.

“I do triathlon and track and field, and it probably helps me to get noticed that I do lots of different things. I’m also on my school’s leadership council.”

Chaz Edmead, from Saltus Grammar School, won the middle school boys prize and admitted to squirming in his seat as he waited for the winner to be announced.

“I was pretty nervous, my heart was thumping and then my name was called,” he said. “I was so excited and thankful to get the award.”

You name the sport and Edmead plays it, and he feels that sport has toughened him up and helped him through his teenage years.

“I love the thrill that you get when you play and the tough moments that make you want to play even harder,” he said.

“You make so many friends along the way and sport creates lifelong connections. My drive is really important and I keep on going when the going gets tough. I don’t let hard things stop me.”

One of the youngest winners on the night was Kierra Broadley-Samuels, from St George’s Preparatory School, who won the primary school girls award.

She is the best player on the boys’ youth football team and catches the eye regularly.

“I feel good playing against the boys and I’m not really intimidated by anything,” she said.

“I was so excited and happy to win the award. My favourite sport to play is football, but I also like netball, cricket, and track and field.