Following the announcement of Wales and Manchester United football legend Ryan GiggsBBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality Of The Year 2009 award live on BBC Wales Today on Monday night, BBC Wales has revealed the winners of all the other top awards in a special programme on BBC One Wales.
The awards ceremony was held at the new Cardiff City Stadium last night and the programme, BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality Of The Year 2009 presented by Jason Mohammad, celebrated an exciting year of Welsh sport.
The winners of the main awards are:
Team of the Year: Wales Rugby Sevens
Welsh Sports Unsung Hero: Arthur Jones
Lifetime Achievement Award: Don Shepherd
Carwyn James Junior Sportsman of the Year: Dan Lucker
Carwyn James Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Becky James
Team of the year: Wales Rugby Sevens
Wales entered the tournament in Dubai ranked 11th in the world, and were 80-1 outsiders at the start of the tournament. The team saw off the challenge of the number one seeds New Zealand in the quarter-final and went on to beat Argentina 19-21 in the final, with tries from Richie Pugh, Aled Thomas and Tournament MVP (Most Valuable Player) Tal Salley to lift the Melrose Cup. This was their first appearance in the final of any competition. The Wales Rugby Sevens team are coached by Paul John.
Welsh Sports Unsung Hero: Arthur Jones
Arthur Jones (79) from Llanelli is the Secretary of the Carmarthenshire Junior, Senior and Mini Football Leagues and is a life member of the West Wales Football Association. Arthur has been involved in football in Carmarthenshire as a player, manager and club secretary for almost 60 years.
As winner of the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Unsung Hero award, Arthur will go forward to the national BBC Sports Personality Of The Year 2009 awards to be held at the Sheffield Arena on Sunday 13 December where the overall UK winner will be chosen.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Don Shepherd
Don Shepherd (82) took 2,218 wickets at an average of 21.32 during his career, more than any other player not to play Test cricket. Don was a Glamorgan player from 1950 to 1972 and an integral member of the team that won the County Championship in 1969.
The veteran cricketer was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1970 and was no slouch with the bat, having scored 51 in 15 minutes against the Australians in 1961.
Carwyn James Junior Sportsman of the Year: Dan Lucker
Abergavenny-based Dan Lucker has been involved in wheelchair racing for the past four years and this year he has become the Under 18s Junior World Champion in the 100m, 200m, 1500m and 5,000m along with picking up silver in the 400m and 800m.
Back in 2006 he took the bronze at the UK School Games and went on to take gold in the 2007 games. In road races he won the Mini London Marathon in 2006, 2008 and 2009, setting a new course record. He won the Admiral Swansea Bay 10k in 2008, after coming third in 2007, and also came third in the Great Manchester Run in 2008. He currently trains in both Cardiff and London and his coach is David Wier.
Carwyn James Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Becky James
Becky James, from Abergavenny, started cycling at the age of 12 and has had major success this year including becoming the European Junior Women’s Sprint Champion, European Junior Women’s 500m TT Champion, the European Junior Women’s Keiren Silver, the World Junior Women’s Spring champion, the World Junior Women’s 500m TT Silver and the National Junior Women’s 500 TT champion. Becky has also competed in the World Cup Cycling Championships in Manchester Velodrome.
