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Sports Writer of the Year: the shortlist

There could be a new Sports Writer of the Year named next Monday at the SJA’s British Sports Journalism Awards, after the sports editors of the national newspapers selected their shortlist of six of the biggest names in the business, three of whom have never before won this prize.

The Sports Writer of the Year and the Sports Photographer of the Year Awards will mark the climax of the awards dinner, which is sponsored by UK Sport and Sky Bet.

The 2009 Sports Writer shortlist includes Martin Samuel, the first person to win the Sports Writer of the Year award three years in succession (2005-2007), plus Paul Hayward, winner in 1996, and James Lawton, winner in 1988.

But half the list consists of three writers who have yet to win the John Bromley Trophy: Michael Atherton, David Conn and Oliver Holt. Of the six, all were on the shortlist in 2008 except Conn, who replaces Patrick Collins, who was last year’s winner.

The Sports Journalists’ Association was launched as the Sports Writers’ Association in 1948 and has been staging sports awards for the last 60 years. It has been recognising the achievement sports journalists with the British Sports Journalism and Sports Photography Awards for nearly 40 years.

This year’s winners in a comprehensive range of categories will be announced on March 8 at a dinner at The Brewery in the City of London.

Other awards revealed at the dinner will include Television and Radio Sports Broadcasters and Programmes, Young Sports Writer and Young Sports Photographer of the Year, the Sky Bet Sports Betting Writer and Regional Sports Writer.

Tickets for the evening can still be booked by clicking here.

Sports Writer of the Year Shortlist
Michael Atherton, The Times
David Conn, Guardian
James Lawton, Independent
Paul Hayward, Observer
Oliver Holt, Daily Mirror
Martin Samuel, Daily Mail

For the awards shortlists in all categories in the British Sports Journalism Awards, click here.

To bet on the Sky Bet SJA Betting Writer of the Year award, click here.

□ UK Sport is the longest standing lead sponsor of the Sports Journalists’ Association, with a partnership that goes back more than a decade. Sky Bet is the SJA’s newest partner, the sponsorship being announced in October 2008.

Both partners support the SJA’s two prestigious annual awards events, including the presentation of a special UK Sport Award for excellence at the SJA’s British Sports Awards and the sports betting writer of the year at the SJA’s British Sports Journalism Awards.

The SJA Annual Sports Awards are the longest established of their kind in the United Kingdom, having been first staged in 1949.


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Book your tickets for sports journalism’s Big Night Out – the British Sports Journalism Awards on Monday March 8 – click here for details and booking form