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SJA British Sports Awards back on TV, with Sportsman of the Year Alex Yee among winners at Sky Studios

Olympic champions  Alex Yee and Keely Hodgkinson claim Sportsman and Sportswoman titles respectively, with Team GB rowers at Paris 2024 named Team of the Year; Tom Daley, Alice Tai, Joe Root, Baroness Sue Campbell, Ollie Watkins and Luke Littler also among the winners announced live on Sky Sports…

By Jon Holmes

Darren Lewis and Alex Yee
Darren Lewis and Alex Yee

Nearly 50 years after their first – and until now, only – television appearance, the annual SJA British Sports Awards ceremony was broadcast nationwide on Wednesday.

This wasn’t a gala dinner or lunch as has been traditional but it certainly delivered star power, and the winners were of course announced to a much bigger audience than the Awards would usually command.

Starting at the crack of dawn, and with SJA President Darren Lewis on hand throughout the day to introduce the recipients, this was a prizegiving occasion that had plenty of personality.

Alex Yee, the newly crowned SJA Sportsman of the Year, was among the guests to visit the Sky Sports News studio to collect his trophy and discuss the achievements of the past 12 months.

Before the Olympic and world triathlon champion’s arrival on set, three medal-winning members of the Great Britain rowing team at Paris 2024 – Hannah Scott, Emily Ford and Tom Ford – were on hand to accept the SJA Team of the Year Award.

Completing an Olympic triumvirate of top honorees was Keely Hodgkinson, whose triumph on the track in the 800m was one of the British highlights of the Games.

Viewers were able to hear from the middle-distance marvel and Sportswoman of the Year via a pre-recorded interview, and in this age of international commitments and jet-setting, several other winners did the same.

Five-time Olympic medal-winning diver Tom Daley won the J.L. Manning Award for services to sport off the field of play and he spoke to SSN from Tokyo where he was opening a new knitting exhibition.

England’s Euro 2024 semi-final goal hero Ollie Watkins picked up his SJA President’s Award at St George’s Park. Lewis had based his decision on the moment of pure sporting joy that Watkins had provided to the nation.

The SJA Committee Award winner was Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet, who guided his team to an incredible ‘Grand Slam’ season of four major trophies.

Teenage sensations Luke Littler and Poppy Maskill are the SJA’s breakthrough athletes of the year.

Littler followed up his incredible run to the World Darts Championship final at the start of 2024 by claiming the Premier League, World Series and Grand Slam titles, while Maskill was ParalympicsGB’s most successful athlete in Paris. They are joint Peter Wilson Trophy winners.

The National Lottery Spirit of Sport Award went to another Paralympic gold medallist, Alice Tai. The award recognises outstanding performers who prove themselves to be role models in life as well as in sport.

Another British summer hero was cyclist Tom Pidcock, whose thrilling triumph in the Olympic mountain biking event saw him retain his title and pick up the Pat Besford Award for outstanding performance of the year.

Back in 1963, the SJA (then known as the Sports Writers’ Association) inaugurated the Bill McGowran Trophy for achievements in para sports.

Gold medal-winning paratriathlete Dave Ellis, whose guide is Luke Pollard, and para-archer Jodie Grinham took the accolades here after their success in Paris.

The SJA Chair’s Award recognised the achievements of Joe Root after he hit the top of the all-time England Test run scorers chart.

The Sky and Kick It Out Equality and Inclusion Award was making its fourth appearance at the British Sports Awards. It is now named after the late Lord Ouseley, and Baroness Sue Campbell is the recipient.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS

Sportsman of the Year: Alex Yee (triathlon)

Sportswoman of the Year: Keely Hodgkinson (athletics)

Team of the Year: Great Britain rowing at Paris Olympics

SJA Pat Besford Award for outstanding performance of the year: Tom Pidcock (mountain biking)

SJA President’s Award: Ollie Watkins (football)

SJA Committee Award: Matt Peet (rugby league)

J.L. Manning Award for services off the field of play: Tom Daley (diving)

SJA Bill McGowran Trophy for male and female para athlete of the year: Dave Ellis with Luke Pollard (para triathlon), and Jodie Grinham (para archery)

SJA Chairman’s Award: Joe Root

SJA Peter Wilson Trophy for breakthrough performance of the year: Luke Littler (darts) and Poppy Maskill (para swimming)

The National Lottery Spirit of Sport Award: Alice Tai

Sky | Kick It Out Award for Equality and Inclusion: Baroness Sue Campbell

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