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What a picture! SJA Awards celebrate a great year

STEVE ROWE is the stalwart SJA photographer. Here’s a selection of his work from yesterday’s stellar 67th staging of our British Sports Awards, sponsored by The National Lottery and held at the Grand Connaught Rooms, London

Little and large: the Davis Cup and the Ashes, two iconic sporting trophies, and in the same room in Britain for the first time, or at least since Fred Perry was playing and Gubby Allen was the England cricket captain. But where was the Rugby World Cup...?
Little and large: the Davis Cup and the Ashes, two iconic sporting trophies, and in the same room in Britain for the first time, or at least since Fred Perry was playing and Gubby Allen was the England cricket captain. But where was the Rugby World Cup…?

 

SJA Sports Awards 17122015
Lizzy Yarnold was one of the many Lottery-funded world champions in the room, who clearly enjoyed explaining to our round-the-tables interviewer Sybil Ruscoe who she had taken a break from skeleton bob to “get a life”

 

SJA Sports Awards 17122015
Sybil Ruscoe’s round-the-tables interviews saw her talk to members of the all-conquering Leeds Rhinos rugby league team, including Jamie Peacock

 

SJA Sports Awards 17122015
Andy Duncan, of our sponsors The National Lottery, presented their Spirit of Sport Award to Katherine Grainger. “It was a genuine surprise to win an award as I didn’t think 2015 was my year to win anything!” the Olympic gold medallist said. “To win this award is particularly special to me as it is the National Lottery Award which started in 1997, the same year my international career began so I feel the Lottery has been with me every step of the way. And for it to be the Spirit of Sport award which looks beyond sporting achievement makes it a very special honour as I have been so inspired by sport and it’s a privilege to be able to pass that on”

 

SJA Sports Awards 17122015
Jim Rosenthal was the masterful host again, and Dina Asher-Smith, winner of the SJA’s performance of the year award from breaking the 100m national record, delighted the audience in her interview

 

SJA Sports Awards 17122015
Sybil Ruscoe and Tim Hollingsworth, of the British Paralympic Association, presented our Bill McGowran trophies for 2015 to swimmer Ollie Hynd and tennis player Jordanne Whiley

 

The ballroom at the Grand Connaught Rooms was packed throughout the awards lunch ... until some of our members had to leave to file on the news that Jose Mourinho had been sacked by Chelsea
The ballroom at the Grand Connaught Rooms was packed throughout the awards lunch … until some of our members had to leave to file on the news that Jose Mourinho had been sacked by Chelsea

 

World champion athletes Greg Rutherford and Jessica Ennis-Hill, the SJA's Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year. For Ennis-Hill, it is the fourth time she has won at the SJAs; Rutherford is the first male track and field athlete to come top in our poll since 1998
World champion athletes Greg Rutherford and Jessica Ennis-Hill, the SJA’s Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year. For Ennis-Hill, it is the fourth time she has won at the SJAs; Rutherford is the first male track and field athlete to come top in our poll since 1998

 

Our final presentation of the day was made to one of our own - Sir Michael Parkinson, SJA President from 2004 to 2015, who received the Doug Gardner Award for services to sports journalism flanked by all of our champions
Our final presentation of the day was made to one of our own – Sir Michael Parkinson, SJA President from 2004 to 2015, who received the Doug Gardner Award for services to sports journalism flanked by all of our champions

For the SJA’s press release, the final results of our members’ polling and all the award-winners from the event, please click here

  • 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 Journalists’ Charity. To find out more and how you can donate on a one-off or regular basis, go to www.journalistscharity.org.uk

UPCOMING SJA EVENTS

2016