DUNN AND ASHER-SMITH WIN AT BEDSA 2020

Para Athletics Head Coach, Paula Dunn, and world champion, Dina Asher-Smith were both victorious at the 2020 British Ethnic Diversity Sport Awards (BEDSA) over the weekend.

The BEDSAs – organised by Sporting Equals – are designed to recognise and celebrate the contributions made by black and minority ethnic communities. The awards help drive change in the sport sector where role models from more communities are a priority to increase participation.

British Athletics Para Head Coach, Paula Dunn MBE won the Coach of the Year award. She has held the role since the end of 2012, having guided the British team to record medal hauls at the Paralympic Games, World Championships and European Championships during her tenure.

Dunn, a former European and Commonwealth medallist, received an MBE in the New Year’s Honours at the end of 2018 for her services to sport.

Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie; Blackheath & Bromley) won the Sportswoman of the Year category, and her award was collected by 1984 Olympic javelin gold medallist, Tessa Sanderson.

Having won her first world title back in October, sealing 200m gold in a national record of 21.88s, Asher-Smith was a popular winner in the category.

She had won 100m silver behind Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) earlier in the championships, also in a British record time (10.83s). She would go on to complete Doha 2019 with 4x100m relay silver alongside teammates, 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.