23rd November 2018

HAHN, ADENEGAN AND ASHER-SMITH AMONG BAWA AWARD WINNERS

Kare Adenegan (Job King, Coventry) Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie, Blackheath & Bromley) and Sophie Hahn (Leon Baptiste, Charnwood) were among the winners at the 2018 British Athletics Writers Association awards today.

Asher-Smith captured the Female athlete of the year gong, 22-year-old Asher-Smith, who finished ahead of 2017 winner Laura Muir and Katarina Johnson-Thompson in voting among the athletics media, was a triple champion at the Europeans, additionally taking victory in the 100m, 200m and the 4×100 relay while setting British records in both individual events in the German capital. Additionally, she picked up a gold and bronze at April’s Commonwealth Games and was named European Athletics Athlete of the Year.

Zharnel Hughes (Glen Mills, Shaftesbury Barnet) added 4×100 relay gold to his 100m title in Berlin with his CV enhanced by a further relay crown at the Commonwealths. His 100m personal best of 9.91 seconds now ranks him second behind Linford Christie on the UK all-time list, and it earned him the BAWA prize ahead of six-time Male Athlete recipient Sir Mo Farah with Nick Miller and Reece Prescod sharing third place.

Sophie Hahn, who took T38 100m, 200m and universal relay golds at the WPA European Championships in Berlin, and Kare Adenegan, who landed T34 100m gold and 800m silver at the same event at the age of 17, as well as earning victory in the Virgin Money Giving Mini London Marathon, were joint winners of the Female Para Athlete of the Year prize.

Both set world records in 2018 at the Muller Anniversary Games in London. Hahn clocked 25.93 over 200m, knocking 0.18 seconds off her previous world leading mark. Adenegan earned her breakthrough performance at the London Stadium as she became the first T34 female athlete to break 17 seconds, beating ten-time world champion Hannah Cockroft in the process.

Thomas Young (Joe McDonnell, Charnwood), just 18, secured the Male Para Athlete of the Year honour following two golds in Berlin, in the T38 100m and 200m, his first major championships.

Jake Norris (Paul Dickenson, Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow), who won the hammer gold medal at the IAAF World Under-20 Championships in Tampere and broke the UK under-20 record in 2018, was the recipient of the Junior Male Athlete of the Year prize.

Heptathlete Niamh Emerson (David Feeney, Amber Valley and Erewash), who followed bronze at the Commonwealths – her first senior medal – with the World Under-20 crown, picked up the Junior Female Athlete of the Year.

The long-standing Ron Pickering Memorial Award for Services to Athletics was, fittingly, presented to one of the late commentator’s former BBC colleagues, Paul Dickenson. The two-time Olympian, 68, is coach to Norris and mentor to a large group of young throwers, doing a huge amount over four decades to nurture young talent in tandem with a long and distinguished broadcasting career.

Meanwhile a number of annual prizes from the British Milers Club were also presented including Male and Female Athlete of the Year prizes for Jake Wightman (Geoff Wightman, Edinburgh) and Laura Muir (Andy Young, Dundee Hawkshill), and a Coach of the Year for Geoff Wightman.

 

WINNERS:

Cliff Temple Award for Female Athlete (sponsored by London Marathon Events): Dina Asher-Smith

John Rodda Award for Male Athlete of the Year (sponsored by Glasgow 2019 European Indoor Championships): Zharnel Hughes

Female Para Athlete: Sophie Hahn & Kare Adenegan (joint)

Male Para Athlete: Thomas Young

Lilian Board Memorial Award for Junior Female: Niamh Emerson

Jim Coote Memorial Award for Junior Male: Jake Norris

Ron Pickering Memorial Award for Services to Athletics: Paul Dickenson