'Almost Steven Gerrard': short story prize winner

Michael Wilson, from University of Brighton Faculty of Arts, won the "Creative Writing Olympics" competition held by the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex. The competition asked for 2,000-word pieces relating to the themes of 'Sport' 'Olympics' and 'Challenge', and was judged by local writers and academics including novelist Peter James, poet Clare Best, Professor Stephanie Newell and Professor Alan Tomlinson.

The winning entry 'Almost Steven Gerrard' deals with how the secrets of the adult world challenge a young boy's faith in his sporting hero, exploring parallels between sporting and domestic challenges. Best-selling novelist Peter James judged it as "for me the clear winner." Michael Wilson runs the Creative Writing: Idea to Print course at the University of Brighton, and is interested in developing creative writing as practice-led research in the Faculty of Arts.

Download short story 'Almost Steven Gerrard' by MJ Wilson [pdf]

All of the judges were impressed by the diverse and innovative responses to the competition themes. Second and third prize were won by Sally Lawson-Cruttenden and Laura Vellacott from the University of Sussex. Faculty of Arts also took a runner prize thanks to Cathy Watts' entry.

All the entrants to the competition will now be published in an anthology, which will be available in Waterstones, City Books and the university bookshops at the end of August. The book intends to celebrate what, at best, sport achieves so successfully - bringing people together to engage in collaborative and individual pursuits and celebrate and share in each other’s successes and triumphs.

The project was organised by Jess Moriarty, senior lecturer in creative writing at the University of Brighton and founder of 'Work, Write, Live.' The primary motivations were to explore new and existing connections between art and sport through the medium of creative writing. Additionally the Creative Writing Olympics aimed to encourage and welcome involvement from the staff and student communities, to showcase excellence in creative writings under the themes of ‘Sport’ ‘Olympics’ and ‘Challenge’, and to promote Widening Participation while incorporating the Olympic values of ‘excellence, respect and friendship’ and the Paralympics’ vision to ‘empower, achieve, inspire’ into the workshop and the collaborative anthology. 

1st Prize:

ALMOST STEVEN GERRARD - Michael Wilson (Brighton)

2nd Prize: 

PARIS MARATHON - Sally Lawson-Cruttenden (Sussex)

3rd Prize 

ELLA'S STORY - Laura Vellacott (Sussex)

Runners Up:

ANY OTHER INFORMATION - Jacqui Bealing (Sussex)

THE ROUND SCOTLAND RACE - Rebecca Duffy (Brighton)

MATCH REPORT - Tomas Morgan (Sussex)

A WALK IN THE PARK - Michelle York (Brighton)

NO BOUNDARIES - Cathy Watts (Brighton)

HUMAN ENDURANCE - Fay Lofty (Brighton)