ASHER-SMITH THIRD AT SPOTY AS BLACKIE & GREY-THOMPSON WIN AWARDS

Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie; Blackheath & Bromley) was third-place in the public vote for 2019 BBC Sports Personality of the Year, while her coach, John Blackie, was crowned Coach of the Year, and Baroness Tanni-Grey Thompson was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award,

Asher-Smith won her first world title back in October, sealing 200m gold in a national record of 21.88s.

She had won 100m silver behind Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) earlier in the week, also in a British record time (10.83s). She completed the championships with 4x100m relay silver alongside a team of Asha Philip, Ashleigh Nelson and Daryll Neita.

In September, she won the Diamond League trophy over 100m, beating Fraser-Pryce in Brussels. This followed success in the series in Doha and Stockholm earlier in the year, on both occasions over the 200m distance.

Also nominated for the main prize of the evening was Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Bertrand Valcin; Liverpool Harriers) who ended the 2019 season as a world heptathlon champion and European indoor pentathlon gold medallist, the latter for the second time.

In Doha, Johnson-Thompson reached new heights, setting a British record points tally of 6981 which saw her defeat Nafi Thiam (BEL), the reigning Olympic, world and European champion. With PBs across four of the seven disciplines, it was a two-days to remember for KJT who exceeded Jessica Ennis-Hill’s points tally from when she won the Olympic title in 2012.

In March, she won the pentathlon title in Glasgow with a score of 4983 points. She now holds world outdoor and indoor, Commonwealth Games and European Indoor titles heading into the Olympic year.

John Blackie – coach of Dina Asher-Smith among others – was crowned Coach of the Year following a fruitful year for his athletes. He coached Asher-Smith to a triple medal haul in Doha, as well as Immanuela Aliu who was part of the gold-medal winning 4x100m relay team at the European U20 Championships in Sweden and finished fourth in the 100m.

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson – the 11-time Paralympic champion – was awarded the Lifetime achievement honour during the ceremony.

Grey-Thompson, who won 16 Paralympic medals during her athletics career, was greeted on stage by some great legends of Paralympic and Olympic sport, Grey-Thompson added her name to a prestigious list of winners.