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Awards created to honour Machai Campbell

Not forgotten: Wayne Campbell presented three awards to the Western Stars Sports Club after unveiling a memorial photograph of his son Machai who lost his life in a collision on Cavendish Road in December of 2008.

Nineteen-year-old sports star Machai Campbell was immortalised by his father with awards and a poster dedicated to his former teams.

Machai played football for Dandy Town Hornets and on the national cricket under-19 team.

He was killed in a head-on collision with a motorbike on December 30, 2008 while travelling along Cavendish Road, Pembroke. Sergio Pacheco, 32, was last week found guilty of causing his death through dangerous driving.

On Friday, his father, Wayne Campbell unveiled the awards — Campbell's Pride and Passion awards — and a poster, along with Machai's twin brother Michiko at a ceremony at Western Stars Sports Club.

Mr. Campbell said it was a way to give back to the team and the community that had supported and helped his son through his sporting accomplishments.

He said: "This was a way to honour him. It was something I wanted to do on behalf of my son. His memory will always be there because of playing sports together, but it's just for everybody else who touched him in other ways so they could see.

"I felt good. I think everybody else said it was a nice Friday evening."

The awards, which are in the form of three plaques, will go to a player in the Western Stars Sports Club's senior football team, junior football team and cricket team who best displays pride and passion.

Mr. Campbell said the first award will be given at the end of this soccer season and the winner will be selected by a coach.

Michiko, Machai's twin brother, was also on hand to help with the unveiling of the awards on Friday night and he said it was a great way for the family to honour his brother.

He said: "It was just to honour my brother. It was touching to hear him talk about how he explained what he meant to my dad.

"It made me remember about him. I am very proud of my dad to do this for my brother."

Mr. Campbell added: "The coach will select which player represents Machai's pride when he played and his passion because my son really did put everything into his sports.

"It just meant he was able to do a lot on his own through sports. Sports were able to get him to travel and see the world."