Rising tennis star Gavin Manders and veteran swimmer Kiera Aitken have been crowned Male and Female Athletes of the Year – Aitken for the second year running.

There was no repeat of last year's controversy which saw Sports Minister Glenn Blakeney overturn the selection panel's decision for the male award, with favourite Manders beating off challenges from evergreen sailor, Stevie Dickinson, and triathlete Tyler Butterfield on Saturday night at City Hall.

Manders ended 2009 with an undefeated record in all tournaments in singles.

But more importantly the 23-year-old also helped Bermuda to advance in the Davis Cup to Group III. He has a Davis Cup record of 6-1 – an unprecedented overall record for a Bermuda player.

Manders paid tribute to his coaches, Steve Bean and Sam Maybury, as well as hailing his father, and former top cricketer, Arnold Manders as his inspiration.

"It's been a very difficult year and I would like to thank the Port Royal family, my mother, father and step-mother," said Manders.

"Steve Bean has worked with me for a number of years while Sam Maybury was my coach last year. I would like to thank them both.

"Finally I'd like to thank my father for being a positive role model. The Island needs more people like him to help bring through the next generation."

Swimmer Aitken was selected ahead of University of Tennessee-Chattanooga basketball player Jenaya Wade-Fray for the top female prize.

Last year saw Aitken become the first Bermudian female to break the one-minute mark in the 100 metres backstroke.

The 2004 and 2008 Olympian set the new record at the Spanish short course Nationals in Madrid, where she also broke a host of other records.

She set her first record in the 50 metres back with a time of 27.72 that netted her a bronze medal.

Next up was her main event, the 100 metres back where in the preliminaries she became the first Bermuda female to break the one minute mark with a time of 59.87.

In the final she lowered that time to 59:31, and then rounded out the backstroke events with a 2:09.09 in the 200 metres in which she took two clear seconds off the previous record.

Aitken, who is based in Europe, was unable to return home to receive her award which was accepted by her mother Mary-Beth Aitken, who said swimming was her daughter's "life's calling".

"I'm overwhelmed. From the first day she got into the water at the age of six we knew swimming would be her life's calling. It's kept her focus.

"As a parent, if you want to keep your child's focus get them into a sport they love. Kiera loves swimming, it's a lonely sport and she has had to make many sacrifices."

Although sport's budget has been cut this year, Premier Ewart Brown told Saturday's audience at City Hall that Government remained supportive of the Island's athletes.

"Sport will not receive the largess of the Government this year but we remain committed to sport," he said. "It's great to see athletes who don't judge themselves on being the best from Dockyard to St.George's, but test themselves on the world stage."

There were also be a number of other awards up for grabs including the Special Achievement Awards, Bermuda Sport Citation Awards and Appreciation Awards as well as a Minister's Awards and Special Recognition Awards.

Special Recognition Awards went to golfer Dr. Robert Vallis, who recorded a first by becoming the first Bermudian to win the British Senior Amateur Open, Bermuda Olympic Association president Judy Simons, and tennis sensation Tyler Smith.

Smith, who is still only 13 years old, won numerous international tournaments last year including those in Barbados and Panama and she also won Bermuda's own ITF Bank of Bermuda Foundation Tournament last summer.

Earlier this year Smith, who is the best player in her age group in the Caribbean, played against the top players in South America in tournaments in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia when she was part of the ITF Central American and Caribbean Junior Team of 2010.

AND THE WINNERS WERE . . .

Male Athlete of the Year

Gavin Manders – Tennis

Female Athlete of the Year

Kiera Aitken – Swimming

Minister's Awards

Mary-Ellen Jackson – Cricket

Jenay Edness – Football

David Hemp – Cricket

Omar Shakir – Football

Achievement Awards

Stephen Dickinson – Sailing

Tyler Butterfield – Triathlon

Jenaya Wade-Fray – Basketball

Kiera Aitken – Swimming

Roy-Allen Burch – Swimming

Gavin Manders – Tennis

Patrick Nesbitt – Equestrian

Special Achievement Awards

John Hoskins

Marjorie McGregor Correia

Master Al Wharton

Appreciation Awards

Bermuda Bowling Club

www.islandstats.com

Special Recognition Awards

Dr. Robert Vallis

Judy Simons

Tyler Smith

Citation Awards

Linda Manders

Paget T Wharton

Judith Simmons

Ras Mykkal

Raneika Bean