Martin Samuel of The Times has been voted sports writer of the year for the third successive year.
He topped a poll of national newspaper sports editors in the annual awards organised by the Sports Journalists’ Association of Great Britain.
Samuel was presented with the John Bromley Trophy at an awards ceremony at The Brewery in the City of London last night.
One judge said of Samuel’s work: ‘He took the plunge back into daily papers but still maintained – even surpassed – the remarkable quality and clarity that has hallmarked his writing and thinking for many years.”
Runner-up was Paul Hayward of the Daily Mail, with Oliver Holt of the Daily Mirror third. Holt was named joint winner of the sports columnist award, together with Simon Barnes of The Times.
Gareth Copley of the Press Association was named sports photographer of the year, with Carl Recine of Action Images winning sports picture of the year for his dramatic shot of blood-splattered boxer John Simpson.
The News of the World’s breaking of the “Fredalo” story involving England cricketer Andrew Flintoff earned David Norrie the sports story of the year award. Paul Kimmage of the Sunday Times retained the sports interviewer prize for the fourth consecutive year.
Oliver Brown of the Daily Telegraph became the first winner of the Ian Wooldridge Trophy for young sportswriter. Wooldridge, who was three times sports writer of the year, died last year.
Regional sports writer of the year is Mike Aitken of The Scotsman, Jon Colman of the Cumberland News was highly commended.
A new award, aports internet writer, was won by Matt Slater of BBC.co.uk.
Sky Sports’ Jeff Stelling won the broadcaster section for the third year running and Radio 5 Live’s Sportsweek was the top programme.
Full list of winners:
Sports Writer: Martin Samuel (The Times)
Sports Photographer: Gareth Copley (Press Association)
Specialist Correspondent: Kevin Garside (Daily Telegraph)
Sports Columnist: Simon Barnes (The Times), Oliver Holt (Daily Mirror)
Sports Feature Writer: Matthew Syed (The Times)
Sports Interviewer: Paul Kimmage (Sunday Times)
Sports News Reporter: Neil Harman (The Times)
Sports Diarist: Charles Sale (Daily Mail)
Sports Story: David Norrie (News of the World)
Regional Sports Writer: Mike Aitken (The Scotsman)
Sports Internet Reporter: Matt Slater (BBC)
Young Sports Writer: Oliver Brown (Daily Telegraph)
Sports Team: Sunday Times’ Tour de France coverage
Sports Picture: Carl Recine (Action Images)
Sports News Picture: Marc Aspland (The Times)
Specialist Sports Portfolio: Gareth Copley (Press Association)
Sports Portfolio: Paul Gilham (Getty Images)
Young Sports Photographer: Matthew Childs (Action Images)
Sports Broadcaster: Jeff Stelling (Sky Sports)
Sports Programme: Sportsweek (Radio 5 Live)
Sports Cartoonist: Nick Newman (Sunday Times)
Doug Gardner Trophy: Chris Smith
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