Annabel Lee-Ellis named Canon Young Sports Photographer of the Year at the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards 2025; Mail Sport’s Charlotte Daly claims Writing Award; Matchroom Boxing’s Jamie Ward and Sky Sports’ Alice Daniell win Broadcast ‘On Air’ and ‘Off Air’ categories respectively; Alice Jackson lands SJA Academy Award, in association with talkSPORT…
The ‘Ones to Watch’ and SJA Academy categories at the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards, sponsored by Canon, have once again showcased the exciting next generation of sports media stars.
The final decisions for the Upcoming Talent section are announced here in advance of the Awards gala night on Monday, April 27, 2026.
Prizes in Photography (for those aged 25 and under at the end of 2025), Writing and two Broadcast honours (for those aged 30 and under, or less than two years’ professional experience, at the end of 2025) are accompanied by the SJA Academy Award, which is for those at the beginning of their sports media journeys.
All those shortlisted have been invited to attend the Awards at the London Palladium. The winners will collect their trophies on stage at the event.
Lee-Ellis lands Canon Young Sports Photographer success
Liverpool-based freelancer Annabel Lee-Ellis is this year’s winner of the Canon Young Sports Photographer category.
A graduate of the University of Gloucestershire’s Photojournalism and Documentary Photography BA (Hons) course, Annabel was part of the World Athletics Media Academy, and two of the five images in her submitted portfolio were captured at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September 2025.
The reaction of American pole vaulter Katie Moon and a dynamic action shot of Finnish heptathlete Saga Vanninen featured alongside photos of Wales v England in Six Nations rugby; a Brighton fan and her dog watching a WSL game away to Tottenham Hotspur; and Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina serving at the WTA Queen’s Club Championships.
Eddie Keogh, chair of the jury for the YSP Award, said: “The strength and depth of emerging talent was clear from the outstanding range of entries in this category.
“The winner impressed with a diverse portfolio, combining technical skill with a natural eye for capturing the moment.”
Offside Sports Photography’s Jacques Feeney and Getty Images’ George Wood took second and third place, respectively.
See all the images from every shortlisted entrant in our Photography gallery
Daly wins Writing to record three-in-a-row Awards triumph
Charlotte Daly has won three different categories in consecutive years at the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards, with ‘Ones to Watch – Writing’ her latest triumph.
Charlotte collected the silverware for Social Media Journalist and ‘Ones to Watch – Broadcast On Air’ in the last two editions.
It also means yet another success in this category for the Daily Mail, who have previously produced Adam Crafton (2017), Daniel Matthews (2018), Isaan Khan (2022) and Aadam Patel (2024).
The award was inaugurated back in 2007 as the Ian Wooldridge Trophy, named after the five-time SJA Sportswriter of the Year who was with the Daily Mail for nearly a half-century and who had passed away earlier that year.
The judges said: “Charlotte leads the way for young talent and her brilliant boxing knowledge amongst other sports, and the way she connects with audiences whilst getting access to talent and generating creative news and features, sets her apart.
“Her writing exhibits a blend of sharp insight, compelling storytelling and editorial maturity, marking her as an exceptional emerging voice in sports journalism.”
Runner-up in the ‘Ones to Watch – Writing’ category was freelancer Um-E-Aymen Babar, formerly of Sky Sports, while Megan Feringa of The Athletic took bronze.
Broadcast ‘On Air’ honours for Matchroom Boxing’s Ward
Jamie Ward was third in the ‘Ones to Watch – Broadcast On Air’ category last year, but now steps to the top of the podium after a stellar year.
The presenter and reporter continues to make his mark with Matchroom Boxing and DAZN.
The judges said: “Jamie was at the heart of boxing’s biggest stories in 2025, from covering Chris Eubank Jr v Conor Benn for Matchroom to delivering a memorable, heartfelt eulogy for Ricky Hatton’s.
“Through his podcast Flash Knockdown and YouTube series Ordinary People, he has built a growing audience by bringing fans closer to fighters beyond the ring, driven by his natural, engaging presence.”
Second in ‘On Air’ was freelancer Emily Herbert, with another freelancer Ellen Ellard taking third.
@ade_oladipo Matchroom’s Jamie Ward explains the nerves of hosting a boxing press conference featuring the likes of Chris Eubank Sr, Nigel Benn, Eddie Hearn, Conor Benn and more 😳😂 Go watch the full episode of ‘The Presenters’ on YouTube via Ade Oladipo now! ▶️ #eubank #eddiehearn #eddiehearn #boxing #fyp ♬ The Gentlemen Titles – Chris Benstead
Daniell delivers for Sky Sports again in Broadcast ‘Off Air’
Sky Sports has another winner in the ‘Ones to Watch – Off Air’ category in the shape of junior digital designer Alice Daniell.
Since joining the company in October 2024, the Arts University Bournemouth graduate has worked across a range of different social platforms and brought fresh ideas and new skills, which have helped to elevate the output.
It’s the fourth time in six years that a member of the Sky Sports team has won this award.
The judges said: “What a standout first year at Sky Sports for Alice.
“From boosting social media engagement to shaping the visual identity of the Sky Disability Forum, she has delivered graphics that are both on-trend and highly engaging.”
See more examples of Alice’s work for Sky Sports here.
Senior social media journalist Rupa Ghelani of Sky Sports was the runner-up, and producer Sophie Penney of Global Media Group (The Sports Agents and Up To Speed) was third.
Jackson the pick of the bunch for SJA Academy Award
The SJA is delighted to announce Alice Jackson as the winner of this year’s SJA Academy Award, in association with talkSPORT.
This is the fourth year that the SJA has provided an opportunity for those with less than one year of experience in sports journalism, or those who have never worked in the industry full-time, to be recognised at the industry awards.
Alice has worked as a freelance sports writer since graduating from Oxford with a first-class BA in English Literature and Language and submitted features published by South West Londoner, Cyclingnews, and The New Women’s Sport Magazine.
Chair of judges Miriam Walker-Khan said: “Alice’s entry reflected both her empathy as a writer and her journalistic acumen, with three stories about athletes forging ahead in their respective sports and breaking down barriers.
“Her cycling content drew upon fresh research and new media trends, and also human interest storytelling, while a feature interview with international hockey player Darcy Bourne demonstrated a deeper understanding of sport as a platform for social change.
“We look forward to following Alice’s career and that of all the shortlisted entries in this category.”
Two of those shortlisted were highly commended. For a second consecutive year, Emma Seligman, who has a master’s in sports journalism from St Mary’s Twickenham where she wrote for Sports Gazette, was recognised by the judges; while NCTJ-qualified freelance journalist George Nash, who has written for Huck magazine and other outlets, was similarly congratulated for his work.
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