Boxer Karol Itauma and Olympic trampolinist Kat Driscoll join the Medway Sport Hall of Fame. Nominations for the 2026 awards close at 5pm on Sunday.
Chatham boxer Karol Itauma and Chatham-born Olympic trampolinist Kat Driscoll are the newest members of the Medway Sport Hall of Fame. They will be inducted at the Medway Sports Awards at the Rochester Corn Exchange on Friday 11 December, Medway Council announced on Tuesday.
There is still time to nominate someone for this year’s awards. Nominations close at 5pm on Sunday 25 October.
The two inductees
Itauma found boxing in Chatham at 13. He went on to win gold at the Youth Olympic Games and then turned professional with the promoter Frank Warren. Since retiring from the ring in 2024 he has stayed involved in sport and wellbeing in Medway through his local businesses and Team Itauma, the council said.
Driscoll represented Great Britain at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics. She was the first British trampolinist to compete at two Games. She also won silver at the European Games and medals at several world championships. She retired from competition in 2021 and now works in British Gymnastics’ performance team.
The evening will be hosted by Joe Coshan of ITV Meridian and the sports broadcaster and journalist Matt Thacker. Coshan said he had filmed with Itauma at Greenacre Academy just after his Youth Olympic win in 2018, “and you could see then what an asset he is to Medway”.
Who is already in the Hall of Fame
The Hall of Fame began in 2014. Inductees are honoured at the awards and on a permanent display at Medway Park in Gillingham. The council’s Hall of Fame page lists ten so far:
| Year | Inductee | Sport |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Andy Hessenthaler | Football |
| 2014 | Brian Moore | Football commentary |
| 2014 | Liz McVeigh | Rowing |
| 2016 | Paul Nihill | Athletics |
| 2018 | Charlotte Evans | Winter sport |
| 2018 | Ian John-Lewis | Boxing |
| 2022 | Gary Smith | Trampoline |
| 2022 | Isaac Newell | Football |
| 2024 | James Williams | Fencing |
| 2024 | Rachael Burford | Rugby |
Itauma and Driscoll will make it twelve. Driscoll joins Gary Smith, another Chatham-born Olympic trampolinist, who was inducted in 2022. Smith and Charlotte Evans both sit on this year’s judging panel.
The categories
Eleven awards are open for nominations:
- Sportsperson of the Year
- Junior Sportsperson of the Year
- Club of the Year
- Junior Club of the Year
- Team of the Year
- Junior Team of the Year
- Coach of the Year
- Official of the Year
- Primary School of the Year
- Secondary School of the Year
- Unsung Hero of the Year
What it means for you
If you know a person, team, club or school in Medway that deserves recognition, you have until 5pm on Sunday to say so.
- Use the council’s online nomination form. You will need the nominee’s achievements, your name, your relationship to them and your contact details.
- The achievement must have happened between 1 November 2024 and 25 October 2026.
- The judging criteria explain what the panel looks for in each category. For the sportsperson awards, that means results at regional, national or international level.
Shortlisted nominees will be invited to the gala on 11 December, where gold, silver and bronze awards are presented in each category.
Anyone wanting to put a name forward for a future Hall of Fame place can email medwaysport@medway.gov.uk. The criteria say the person’s career, or the part of it they are known for, must have finished.
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