BASINGSTOKE'S man of Badminton Trevor Shanks was surprised to be nominated for, let alone win, the Service to Sport award.
He said: "It came completely out of the blue when I received a phone call to attend."
He added: "It is fantastic to have won - I was a runner-up eight years ago. However, all the finalists deserved it."
Shanks, from Oakley, was forced to give up playing badminton five years ago after a hip replacement operation.
He started playing in 1946 in his native Northern Ireland.
Shanks moved to Basingstoke in 1973 from Belfast, where he had been involved in the administration of the sport since 1949, and continued his dedication to it here. He has been secretary of the Basingstoke District Badminton League for 17 years.
His commitment to the sport has seen him arrange countless tournaments, coach courses and compile a weekly Badminton report for The Gazette. He is also currently a selector and non-playing captain of the Hampshire first team.
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