TEENAGER Khovan Hussein from Warrington, who has overcome a heart condition, autism and Tourette’s in his mission to motivate other young people to get involved in sport, has been recognised with the Rotary Young Citizen Sporting Hero Award 2022.
Khovan, aged 17, 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 received his Award from BBC TV Presenter Ellie Crisell at the Rotary Young Citizen Awards Ceremony which took place at the Volunteer Expo at the NEC in Birmingham on 7th May. He was nominated for the Award by Newton-le-Willows Rotary. The Awards are celebrating their 15th 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 attends Lakeside sixth firm college at Wargrave House autism specialist school and college, LEAP 18-25 adult college.
He has completed two 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
2 Comments
What a lovely article about my son! Thank you!
Your son is clearly a great inspiration – you must be very proud of his achievements.