Global reach of must-read stories for The Athletic gets Crafton into Sportswriters’ hall of fame; David Ornstein wins Football News Reporter award; Daily Mail breaks stranglehold on Newspaper category; Suzy Wrack is first Women’s Sport Journalist prize recipient; her Guardian colleague Don McRae does a double…
Adam Crafton’s addition to the list of Young Sportswriter of the Year Award winners six years ago shortened the odds on him one day landing the biggest prize of all.
Now the football reporter from The Athletic has delivered on that promise even sooner than he might have hoped for.
An elite-level entry into the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards 2023 means he deservedly takes his place among the greats.
This was a John Bromley Trophy lift built on a pair of football stories read around the world – Manchester United’s meandering attempts to make a decision on Mason Greenwood’s future, and the subtle, skilful questioning of Saudi Pro League ‘pioneer’ Jordan Henderson who ended up with the interviewee’s equivalent of twisted blood.
There was a second straight win in Digital Publisher for The Athletic, while triumphing in the Newspaper category for the first time in five years was the Daily Mail.
“The Mail continues to prove there is a place for print journalism that is well directed, professionally written and thoughtfully brought together by a team pulling in the same direction,” said the judges.
Henry Winter (The Times and Sunday Times) enjoyed a repeat success in the Football Journalist category and was joined on stage by Football News Reporter category winner, David Ornstein (The Athletic).
“Henry has a unique connection to his readership and football fans,” said the judging panel. “He is a voice of genuine authority and respected by those in the game.
“His interview with Jenni Hicks, who lost two daughters in the Hillsborough tragedy, was moving, emotional and contained harrowing details in an incredibly powerful piece of writing.”
The Cricket Journalist and Rugby Journalist awards were making a swift return to the event after a one-year hiatus and were collected by Nick Hoult (Telegraph) and Nik Simon (Daily Mail) respectively.
The Women’s Sport Journalist category, which sits across the Written and Broadcast sections, was making its debut at the awards. Taking the inaugural trophy was Suzy Wrack (The Guardian).
Jon Colman (Newsquest Cumbria) celebrated an extraordinary ninth win in the Regional Journalist category.
George Simms (The i paper) had already been named the Ian Wooldridge Award winner in ‘Ones to Watch’ while the second SJA Academy Award, this year made in association with talkSPORT, was handed to Laura Howard.
The Specialist Correspondent award, which will now be known as the Mike Dickson Trophy in memory of the late Daily Mail tennis writer, went to Don McRae (The Guardian) who also claimed Feature Writer.
For the fourth time in six years, Jonathan Liew (The Guardian) was named SJA Columnist of the Year.
“In an outstanding field, Liew’s insight, originality and use of language set him apart,” said the judges. “His column on a day at the Test with his father was a particularly stunning piece of writing.”
Charlotte Daly (Daily Mail) was successful in the Social Media Journalist category.
The hotly-contested Scoop award was secured by the ‘City’s 115 Charges’ story by Martyn Ziegler (The Times & Sunday Times) who also won the Sports News Reporter category.
The night concluded with former SJA President and five-time SJA Sportswriter of the Year Patrick Collins receiving the Doug Gardner Award for services to Sports Journalism and the SJA.
NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
Daily Mail; The Daily Telegraph; The Guardian; The Sunday Telegraph; The Sunday Times; The Times
Winner: Daily Mail
SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR (The John Bromley Trophy)
Winner: Adam Crafton
DOUG GARDNER AWARD FOR SERVICES TO SPORTS JOURNALISM AND THE SJA
Winner: Patrick Collins
DIGITAL PUBLISHER
ESPN; Mail Sport; The Athletic; The Guardian; The Telegraph; The Times & Sunday Times
Bronze: Mail Sport; Silver: The Times & Sunday Times; Winner: The Athletic
FOOTBALL JOURNALIST
Adam Crafton – The Athletic; Alyson Rudd – The Times & Sunday Times; Henry Winter – The Times & Sunday Times; James Olley – ESPN; Jason Burt – Telegraph Media Group; Jonathan Liew – The Guardian; Jonathan Northcroft – The Times & Sunday Times; Nizaar Kinsella – Evening Standard
Bronze: Adam Crafton – The Athletic; Silver: Jason Burt – Telegraph Media Group; Winner: Henry Winter – The Times & Sunday Times
CRICKET JOURNALIST
Ali Martin – The Guardian; Dean Wilson – Freelance; James Wallace – Freelance; Lawrence Booth – Mail Sport; Mike Atherton – The Times & Sunday Times; Nick Hoult – Telegraph Media Group; Paul Newman – Mail Sport; Steve James – The Times & Sunday Times
Bronze: James Wallace – Freelance; Paul Newman – Mail Sport; Silver: Mike Atherton – The Times & Sunday Times; Winner: Nick Hoult – Telegraph Media Group
RUGBY JOURNALIST
Alex Bywater – Mail Sport; Alex Lowe – The Times & Sunday Times; Daniel Schofield – Telegraph Media Group; Gavin Mairs – Telegraph Media Group; Nik Simon – Mail Sport; William Kelleher – The Times & Sunday Times
Bronze: Alex Bywater – Mail Sport; Silver: Gavin Mairs – Telegraph Media Group; Winner: Nik Simon – Mail Sport
REGIONAL JOURNALIST
Chris Wathan – BBC Sport Wales; Ciaran Kelly – The Journal / ChronicleLive; Dafydd Pritchard – BBC Sport Wales; Danny Hall – The Star, Sheffield; Jon Colman – Newsquest Cumbria; Neil Allen – Portsmouth News; Phil Smith – Sunderland Echo – National World; Steven Chicken – Freelance
Bronze: Ciaran Kelly – The Journal / ChronicleLive; Silver: Neil Allen – Portsmouth News; Winner: Jon Colman – Newsquest Cumbria
SPECIALIST CORRESPONDENT
Dave Lockwood – BBC Sport; Dominic King – Mail Sport; Don McRae – The Guardian; Mike Dickson – Mail Sport; Sean Ingle – The Guardian; Tom Cary – Telegraph Media Group
Bronze: Mike Dickson – Mail Sport; Silver: Tom Cary – Telegraph Media Group; Winner: Don McRae – The Guardian
WOMEN’S SPORT JOURNALIST
Betty Glover – BBC Sport; Charlotte Harpur – The Athletic; Emma Sanders – BBC Sports News; Faye Carruthers – talkSPORT; Fiona Tomas – Telegraph Media Group; Kathryn Batte – Mail Sport; Nick Hope – Freelance; Suzanne Wrack – The Guardian
Bronze: Faye Carruthers – talkSPORT; Silver: Fiona Tomas – Telegraph Media Group; Winner: Suzanne Wrack – The Guardian
COLUMNIST
Alyson Rudd – The Times & Sunday Times; Jonathan Liew – The Guardian; Matt Dickinson – The Times & Sunday Times; Matthew Syed – The Times & Sunday Times; Oliver Holt – Mail Sport; Owen Slot – The Times & Sunday Times; Sarah Shephard – The Athletic; Sean Ingle – The Guardian
Bronze: Oliver Holt – Mail Sport; Sean Ingle – The Guardian; Silver: Matt Dickinson – The Times & Sunday Times; Winner: Jonathan Liew – The Guardian
FEATURE WRITER
Daniel Storey – The i newspaper; Don McRae – The Guardian; Ian Ladyman – Mail Sport; James Gheerbrant – The Times & Sunday Times; Jessica Holland – Freelance; Katie Whyatt – The Athletic; Riath Al-Samarrai – Mail Sport; Stuart James – The Athletic
Bronze: Katie Whyatt – The Athletic; Silver: James Gheerbrant – The Times & Sunday Times; Winner: Don McRae – The Guardian
NEWS REPORTER
David Ornstein – The Athletic; Heather Dewar – Daily Mail; Martyn Ziegler – The Times & Sunday Times; Matt Hughes – Mail Sport; Matt Lawton – The Times & Sunday Times; Matt Slater – The Athletic; Rob Harris – Sky News; Sean Ingle – The Guardian
Bronze: Sean Ingle – The Guardian; Silver: Matt Slater – The Athletic; Winner: Martyn Ziegler – The Times & Sunday Times
FOOTBALL NEWS REPORTER
David Conn – The Guardian; David Ornstein – The Athletic; John Percy – Telegraph Media Group; Matt Hughes – Mail Sport; Mike Keegan – Mail Sport; Rob Draper – Freelance
Bronze: John Percy – Telegraph Media Group; Silver: David Conn – The Guardian; Winner: David Ornstein – The Athletic
SCOOP
2030 World Cup would be held in several countries – David Ornstein (The Athletic); City’s 115 Charges – Martyn Ziegler (The Times & Sunday Times); Dele Alli interview – The Overlap (Buzz 16); England men’s cricket team ripping up selection – Will Macpherson (The Telegraph); Gianni Infantino leaves Women’s World Cup after less than a week – Rob Harris (Sky News); Manchester United told senior staff that Mason Greenwood will return – Adam Crafton (The Athletic); The Concussion Files (Concussion in Rugby Union) – David Walsh (The Times & Sunday Times); The hidden truth behind Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea FC empire – Rob Davies, David Conn and Simon Lock (The Bureau Of Investigative Journalism / The Guardian); US Ryder Cup Team Tension – Jamie Weir (Sky Sports News)
Bronze: Dele Alli interview – The Overlap (Buzz 16); Silver: The hidden truth behind Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea FC empire – Rob Davies, David Conn and Simon Lock (The Bureau Of Investigative Journalism / The Guardian); Winner: City’s 115 Charges – Martyn Ziegler (The Times & Sunday Times)
SOCIAL MEDIA JOURNALIST
Aadam Patel – Mail Sport; Charlotte Daly – Mail Sport; Conor McNamara – Freelance; Milly McEvoy, Katy Hanscomb, Abi Curran and Megan Armitage – SPORTSBEAT; Rio Rosenberg – Hayters TV; Rob Harris – Sky News; Sanny Rudravajhala – Freelance
Bronze: Aadam Patel – Mail Sport; Silver: Conor McNamara – Freelance; Winner: Charlotte Daly – Mail Sport
ONES TO WATCH – WRITING (The Ian Wooldridge Award)
Aadam Patel – Mail Sport; Alex Pattle – The Independent; Art de Roché – The Athletic; Elgan Alderman – The Times; George Simms – The i newspaper; Katherine Lucas – The i newspaper; Malik Ouzia – Evening Standard; Um-E-Aymen Babar – Sky Sports / BBC Sport
Bronze: Malik Ouzia – Evening Standard; Silver: Aadam Patel – Mail Sport; Winner: George Simms – The i newspaper
SJA ACADEMY AWARD IN ASSOCIATION WITH talkSPORT
Highly Commended: Adriana Wehrens; Elise Hamersley; Vayam Rohit Lahoti; Winner: Laura Howard