Some of the area's most talented rising sporting stars and a host of volunteers were recognised at an awards ceremony last night attended by an Olympic gold medallist.

The Three Rivers & Watford School Sports Partnership held their annual awards celebration at Watersmeet Theatre, in Rickmansworth, where the contributions of dozens of young people were celebrated across 13 different categories.

The audience were also treated to an inspiring, insightful and entertaining speech by guest Anna Watkins, the two-time rowing world champion who famously won gold at London 2012 in the double sculls alongside Katherine Grainger.

Watkins, who is due to give birth to her first child in September, revealed her main love at school was maths and she didn't pick up an oar for the first time until she attended university when she was 18. The 30-year-old then showed off her gold medal before staying to present all the prizes.

Event organiser Catherine Owusu said: "The awards evening is a fantastic opportunity to recognise students within the partnership, not only for their achievements within school but at club Level and beyond. To have an Olympic gold medallist to present the awards was just inspirational."

There were three outstanding achievement awards presented, with the Key Stage 2 accolade going to Parkgate Junior School's Bobbi Wyatt, who is an international kickboxer and won gold in the European Championships at the start of this year.

England Under-15 left-back Amber Tullett, who attends Parmiter's School, took the Key Stage 3 to 5 female honour, while the male equivalent was won by Rickmansworth School's Liam Curran, a multiple county swimming champion.

There were also three Team of the Year accolades handed out, with Colnbrook School's sportshall athletics team taking the Key Stage 2 accolade, Royal Masonic's senior gymnastics team clinching the Key Stage 3 to 5 female category, while Parmiter's Under-18 rugby side took the male prize for the same age group.

There are 48 schools in the partnership and since it was launched in 2005, participation rates in competitive sport have increased from 20 per cent to 70 per cent.

The full list of winners was:

Young Sportsmanship Award (roll of honour): Ayush Sharma (Alban Wood); James Clissold (Arnett Hills); Harley Sayers (Chorleywood); Charlotte Challis (Colnbrook); Natasha Hardaker (Eastbury Farm); Aashi Rawat (Harvey Road); Mohan Erbas (Holy Rood); Maisie Dale (Maple Cross); Matthew Taylor (Parkgate Junior); Jamie Tannian (St Joseph's); Sam Consavi (St Mary's); Santiago Ramirez (St Paul's); Ella Goodliffe (Tanners Wood); James Dodwell (Yorke Mead).

Key Stage 2 Team of the Year: 1, sportshall athletics team, Colnbrook School; 2, netball team, Arnett Hills; 3, girls cross country team, Tanners Wood. Also shortlisted: football team, Chorleywood School; tag rugby team, Harvey Road; netball team, Little Green; hockey team, Rickmansworth Park.

Key Stage 3-5 Team of the Year Female: 1, senior gymnastics team; Royal Masonic; 2, Und-14 girls badminton team, St Clement Danes; 3, Under-13 girls football team, Rickmansworth School.

Key Stage 3-5 Team of the Year Male: 1, Under-18 rugby team, Parmiter's; 2, senior football team, Garston Manor; 3, Year 7 football team, St Clement Danes. Also shortlisted: Year 7 rugby team, Rickmansworth.

Outstanding Contribution to Informal Play (roll of honour): Sue Pyle (Harvey Road); Daniella Sposi (Holy Rood); Mandeep Lotey (Parkgate Junior).

Play Buddy of the Year (roll of honour): Katie Frost, Jamie Jobson, Willow Smith, Lily Stapleton, Metehan Tunca (all Kingsway Infant); Alexandra Birch, Ben Bliss, Olivia Brundrett, Caitlin Loveless, Lewis Wynne (all Malvern Way Infant & Nursery).

Play Leader of the Year (roll of honour): Katie Humphrey (Alban Wood); Louis Redfern (Arnett Hills); Chanel Tripe (Chorleywood); Cormac Coyle (Colnbrook); Kimberley Magee (Divine Saviour); Jemima Ratcliffe (Eastbury Farm); Lucy Maberly (Harvey Road); Sean Smith (Holy Rood); Joe Hodgins (Little Green); Rosie-Jane Southam Richardson (Maple Cross); Adam Greenstreet (Orchard); Waqar Hassan (Parkgate); Ben Salva (Rickmansworth Park); Ciaran Osbourne (St Joseph's); Holly Grange (St Paul's); Josh Plant (St Peter's); Elise Hands (Yorke Mead).

Key Stage 3 Young Leader of the Year: Josh Harnett, St Joan of Arc.

Key Stage 4 Young Leader of the Year: 1, Celine Allen (Royal Masonic); 2, Dan Samways (Rickmansworth); 3, Will Holian (St Joan of Arc). Also shortlisted: Broghan Finnegan (Rickmansworth).

Key Stage 5 Young Leader of the Year: 1, George Selwood (St Clement Danes); 2, Raveena Bansal (Royal Masonic); 3, Alex Read (Francis Combe Academy). Also shortlisted: Jessica Prince (Parmiter's); Joe Higgins (Rickmansworth).

Key Stage 2 Outstanding Achivement Award: 1, Bobbi Wyatt (Parkgate Junior); 2, Ondine Achampong (Divine Saviour); 3, Daisy Harvey (Maple Cross). Also shortlisted: Kayleigh Barrell Diston (Alban Wood); Ben Grieves (Alban Wood); Sachin Shah (Eastbury Farm); Ellie Carlyon (Harvey Road); Will Gray (Harvey Road); Connie Woodward (Little Green); Hannah Trotman (Tanners Wood); Joel Bell (Yorke Mead); Cassie Smith (Yorke Mead).

Key Stage 3-5 Outstanding Achievement Award Female: 1, Amber Tullett (Parmiter's); 2, Chloe McCarthy (Rickmansworth); 3, Kimberley Osuji (St Michaels). Also shortlisted: Olive Coles (St Clement Danes); Remi Jessop (St Joan of Arc).

Key Stage 3-5 Outstanding Achievement Award Male: Liam Curran (Rickmansworth); 2, Jonathan Philips (St Clement Danes); 3, George O'Malley (St Joan of Arc). Also shortlisted: Callum Woodcock (St Clement Danes); Keanan Bennetts (St Michaels).