Another bumper record of entries in our sports-writing categories has made it a challenge for the judges to whittle the submissions down to a shortlist for the 2016 British Sports Journalism Awards.
New chairman of judges, Peter Jackson, admits he has been bowled over by the quality of entries although he would have liked to have seen more from some sections of the industry.
Jackson said: “Even after all these years, the quality of British sports journalism never ceases to impress me. Its capacity for generating scoops of a global dimension knows no bounds.
“Entries for the 2016 awards soared to an all-time high of 231, some 30 per cent up on the previous years. Those shortlisted for each category reflect an abundance of new talent alongside a number of serial award winners.
“My one regret is the almost total absence of entries from The Sun and Mirror. Back in the day they were the first papers I read with some apprehension every morning to see what I had missed and yet of all the entries only seven – a mere three per cent – came from those two great papers. We, and they, are all the poorer as a consequence.
“Finally, my thanks to the judges, all 84 of them, who readily gave their time and expertise. We are fortunate to be in a trade where so many are so willing to give something back – free, gratis and for nothing. I salute them all.”
Winners and highly commended entries will be revealed at the 40th staging of the British Sports Journalism Awards at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge on Monday 27 February 2017.
The John Bromley Sports Writer of the Year will be announced by SJA President Patrick Collins, at a ceremony hosted by Jim Rosenthal and supported by The National Lottery and Ladbrokes. Paul Hayward of the Daily Telegraph was the recipient last year.
This coveted award is decided on a vote by senior figures in the world of sports media, including sports editors from national and regional newspapers. A panel of experts also chooses the Sports Newspaper of the Year, won in 2015 by the Daily Mail.
Those making submissions included The Guardian’s Danny Taylor, who was judged the winner of the Football Journalist Award last year and who is shortlisted again in the same category, which is now sponsored by Ladbrokes.
Taylor is also shortlisted in the Sports Scoop category for his work on the Andy Woodward sexual abuse in football scandal. His rival includes Matt Lawton of the Daily Mail on the Bradley Wiggins drug probe.
Marina Hyde of The Guardian is named in the Sports Columnist category while Alyson Rudd (Times) and Martha Kelner (Daily Mail) are shortlisted for Sports Feature Writer and Sports News Reporter respectively.
Sport Magazine may have gone but Amit Katwala flies the flag for the publication by making the final six in the Sports Feature Writer category.
THE SHORTLIST
Cricket Journalist
Mike Atherton – The Times
Scyld Berry – Telegraph
Nick Hoult – Telegraph
Vic Marks – The Guardian and Observer
Mike Selvey – Freelance
Rob Smyth – The Guardian and Observer
Ladbrokes Football Journalist
Craig Hope – Daily Mail
Matt Hughes – The Times
James Masters – CNN
Daniel Taylor – The Guardian and Observer
Sam Wallace – Telegraph
Jeremy Wilson – Telegraph
Henry Winter – The Times
Investigative Sports Reporter
David Conn – The Guardian and Observer
Sam Peters – The Mail on Sunday
Telegraph Investigations Team – Telegraph
Jeremy Wilson – Telegraph
Multi Media Sports Package
BBC World Service – Iceland; The Force Awakens
CNN – Rio 2016 Olympics
Sky Sports – The Open
The Guardian and Observer – Rio 2016 Olympics
The Times – Rio 2016 Olympics
Telegraph – Rio 2016 Olympics
Regional Journalist
Tom Collomosse – Evening Standard
Jon Colman – Cumbrian Newspapers
Mark Douglas – NCJ Media
Daniel Evans – Bath Chronicle
James Olley – Evening Standard
Chris Wathan – Media Wales
Rugby Journalist
Michael Aylwin – The Guardian and Observer & Sport500
Alan Dymock – Rugby World
Robert Kitson – The Guardian and Observer
Stephen Jones – The Sunday Times
Sam Peters – Mail on Sunday
Daniel Schofield – Telegraph
Owen Slot – The Times
Special Sports Edition
Boxing News – Tribute to Muhammad Ali
Daily Mail – Olympics Super Sunday Special Edition
Oxford Mail – Oxford United’s Milk Cup victory 30 years on
Racing Post – The Big Kick Off, Guide to the 2016-17 Football Season
Sunday Telegraph – Tribute to Muhammad Ali
Telegraph – Champions, Leicester City win the Premiership title
The Sunday Times – Tribute to Muhammad Ali
Specialist Correspondent
Riath Al-Samarrai – Daily Mail
Tom Cary – Telegraph
Gareth A Davies – Telegraph
Sean Ingle – The Guardian and Observer
Jon McEvoy – Daily Mail
Jeff Powell – Daily Mail / Mail on Sunday
Sports Columnist
Matt Dickinson – The Times
Paul Hayward – Telegraph
Oliver Holt – Mail on Sunday
Marina Hyde – The Guardian and Observer
Matthew Syed – The Times
David Walsh – The Sunday Times
Sports Feature Writer
Oliver Brown – Telegraph
James Gheerbrant – The Times
Paul Hayward – Telegraph
Ian Herbert – The Independent
Amit Katwala – Sport Magazine
Alyson Rudd – The Times
Martin Samuel – Daily Mail
Sports News Reporter
Owen Gibson – The Guardian and Observer
Martha Kelner – Daily Mail / Mail on Sunday
Matt Lawton – Daily Mail
Warren Manger – Daily Mirror
Ben Rumsby – Telegraph
Martyn Ziegler – The Times
Sports Scoop
Mike Keegan – Daily Mail – Old Trafford bomb blunder
Matt Lawton – Daily Mail – Bradley Wiggins drug probe
Robert Mendick, Ben Rumsby – Telegraph – Chelsea sex abuse pay-off
Daniel Taylor – The Guardian and Observer – Andy Woodward Sexual Abuse
Telegraph Investigations Team – Telegraph – Sam Allardyce: England manager for sale
Martyn Ziegler, Craig Lord, Matt Dickinson, Rick Broadbent – The Times – Russian swimming’s doping shame
Sports Website
BBC Sport
Boxing News
The Guardian
MailOnline
Sky Sports
Sporting Intelligence
Young Sports Writer
Teddy Cutler – Newsweek International
Adam Crafton – Daily Mail
Sam Dean – Telegraph
Jack Gaughan – Daily Mail
Will Kelleher – Daily Mail
Tom Roddy – Newsweek International
If you want to be part of our 40th awards presentations, being staged for the first time at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, you are advised to book your tickets now, as demand is expected to be high and there are limited places available.
SJA members get a massive discount on their tickets, and can also bring a partner or colleague with guest tickets on special offer. For full details visit our ticket-booking site here: www.sjabritishsportsjournalismawards.co.uk
- The SJA is the largest member organisation of sports media professionals in the world. Join us: Click here for more details
- This year, the SJA’s nominated good cause is The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. If you would like more information about The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity or to make a donation online visit their website by clicking here: www.royalmarsden.org