Inspirational Khovan receives Rotary Young Citizen Sporting Hero Award 2022

Posted Wed 11th May 2022 at 08:10
by Khovan Hussein

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17-year-old Khovan Hussein from Warrington who is autistic, has Tourette’s and has also overcome a heart condition is on a mission to motivate other young people to get involved in sports.

Khovan always put others first, helping fellow students with medical and mental health issues who required his sensitive understanding to step up to sport to engage them in the wider community.  He has helped his peers and teachers to maintain their fitness, despite the impact of COVID-19, including producing fitness videos during lockdown. 

Khovan will receive his Award from BBC TV Presenter Ellie Crisell at the Rotary Young Citizen Awards Ceremony taking place at the Volunteer Expo at the NEC in Birmingham on 7^th May starting at 10.30am.  He was nominated for the Award by Newton-le-Willows Rotary. The Awards are celebrating their 15^th Anniversary this year.

Khovan said: “Because I'm autistic, I had trouble socializing. Sport has helped me and I like helping people through sports because it can make anyone who's really shy, really outgoing and confident and it's fun to do as well. So, I wanted to help others with sport and fitness because I felt I used to be a really shy kid and I thought, you know, if it made me more sociable and more outgoing, maybe it could work on others.” 

Khovan is winning medals, including gold, in Brazilian Ji -Jitsu competitions.

He has completed two Wargrave House College work placements as an MMA coach and gym instructor/personal trainer respectively and he says he would like to work in these roles after completing college. 

He said: “I feel really excited about getting the Sporting Hero Award.  It means a lot and I'm very excited about it all.  And I think that for the career I want to go for, it's definitely going to help and motivate me even more.”  

The Rotary Young Citizen Awards were started in 2007 to celebrate the amazing achievements of inspirational young people across Great Britain and Ireland, many of whom have assumed important responsibilities at a very young age. Nominations are put forward by Rotary Clubs. 

Find out more about the inspirational Rotary Young Citizen Award Winners 2022 at www.rotarygbi.org.  Details about the Volunteer Expo hosted by Rotary are on this link: https://www.volunteerexpo.co.uk

You can find out more on Khovan's Instagram page where he promotes his fitness and BJJ journey, go to @Khovanhn and his TikTok is @Khovanh.

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