The Bermuda School Sports Federation has held the 35th annual Denton Hurdle Memorial Awards this week with a series of online video presentations created to celebrate the first crop of winners.

The Denton Hurdle Memorial Awards is the highlight of the BSSF calendar.

This year 61 of Bermuda’s finest primary, middle and senior school student-athletes were highlighted.

The awards were introduced in 1986 to honour the late Denton Hurdle, a keen sportsman who attended Warwick Academy, Bermuda College and Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada. After completing his physical education degree he taught at Warwick Academy.

His first love was rugby and he went on to captain Teachers Rugby Football Club. He was also a regular member of the Bermuda national team.

Each school is afforded the opportunity to nominate one boy and one girl for the award. All nominees received a certificate and medal of recognition. A male and female winner and runners were named in each category.

To be nominated for the award, students had to display the following qualities: active participation, leadership, sportsmanship, self-discipline, dedication and co-operation.

They had to also demonstrate positive attitudes. Nominees also had to be good scholar-athletes as well as good role models. Only students in the final year of primary, middle or senior school were eligible for this reward.

The primary school winners were Day’asha Dill, of Northlands Primary, and Harris Fleming, of Warwick Academy.

Honourable mention was awarded to Evans Welch, of St David’s Primary, A’Meerah Richardson-Swan, of Heron Bay Primary, Jack Berry, of Somerset Primary and Bakari Smith Jr of East End Primary.

Dill serves as a school prefect, captain of the netball and football teams. She is also a member of the choir, the Jump-Rope Club, netball, cross-country and track teams. She is a member of Pacer Bermuda Track Club, Storm netball team and Dandy Town football team.

“Day’asha is an excellent role model. She is quiet by nature, humble, and sets a great example for her peers,” read a comment from Northland’s Primary School. “She is well-liked not only by her peers, and the school staff, but also by other students in her athletic circles.”

Fleming is a member of Mid-Atlantic Athletic Club, the Bermuda Cycling Academy, Warwick Academy Grizzlies football club, Fat Tire Massive mountain biking, Bermuda rugby, Sharks Swim Club and Tri-Hedz junior triathlon club.

He has won numerous triathlon and duathlon races and was part of the under-10 rugby tour to the England last year.

“Warwick Academy is proud to support Harris Fleming in his nomination for the Denton Hurdle Memorial Trophy,” read the nomination from his school. “Harris is a kind, humble and respectful student. As you can see, he has represented Warwick Academy in just about every sporting category and has fared extraordinary well in all of them. He puts in the same amount of energy into his school work.”

Dominique Brown was named middle school girls’ winner while Jonah Trott from Whitney Institute Middle School won the middle School boys’ division. Honourable mention was awarded to Jasmin Hasselkuss and Jannis Roberts from Somersfield Academy and Adriana Argent and Harlan Watson-Brown from Warwick Academy,

Trott was a member of the student council, vice-house captain while captaining the school rugby, football, cricket and basketball teams. He was also a member of the school debate team.

He is a member of the MAAC, St David’s cricket and football teams, the Bermuda cricket National Academy, Cal Ripkin Baseball, Beyond Rugby, Fat Tire Massive mountain biking, Clarion Iron Kids Triathlon and the Bermuda Bicycle Association. He serves as a junior referee in the BFA Youth Leagues and is certified in Red Cross Water safety.

He is a first honour student and has received passes with merit from the Association Board of the Royal Schools of Music

“Jonah is a studious, pleasant and a humble young man who aims to excel in all that he endeavours,” read the nomination.

Meanwhile, Brown was a prefect, deputy head of sports, blue house captain, captain of all sports teams at Dellwood Middle School. She plays for Dandy Stars football team, Lindo’s netball team, Longtails Hockey Club and is a karate brown belt.

“Dominique is an excellent role model for her peers,” said her school.

“She carries herself in a respectable manner and wears her uniform with pride.”

The Senior School winners are scheduled to be announced today at 7pm.