Joe Calzaghe Dedicates Award To Dad, Enzo

Joe Calzaghe was among a number of winners at the Wales Sport Awards at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport on Tuesday night.

The former world champion boxer was presented with a lifetime achievement award for the unbeaten super-middleweight champion’s contribution and dedicated the trophy to his late father and trainer, Enzo.

Calzaghe was handed the award by last year’s winner Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson on an evening when Wales rugby captain Alun Wyn Jones was crowned BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2019.

Fresh from the team’s stint at the World Cup in Japan where Wales reached the semi-finals, Jones was presented with the award after topping the public vote.

Sabrina Fortune and Jade Jones were announced in second and third place respectively.

The other winners on the night were:

Get Inspired Unsung Hero: Delwyn Derrick

Team of the Year 2019: Wales Rugby Team

Coach of the Year: Warren Gatland

Carwyn James Young Sportsman 2019: Etienne Chappell

Carwyn James Young Sportswoman of the Year: Lily Rice

Inspiring Person of the Year 2019: Mia Lloyd

Great Sport Story of the Year 2019: Homeless World Cup, Cardiff

Getting Wales Active Award 2019: Goodgym Cardiff & Vale

Coaching Chain 2019: Hannah Mills

Delwyn Derrick was awarded the Unsung Hero award for his work supporting inclusion, using sport to bring people from different backgrounds together through football.

Team of the Year went to the Wales rugby team following their successful run in the Rugby World Cup in Japan earlier this year which took them all the way to the semi-finals.

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The team’s coach Warren Gatland took Coach of the Year. Gatland has recently finished his glittering run as Wales coach. Since he became coach in 2007, Wales have won four Six Nations titles, including three Grand Slams, and reached the semi-final of the 2019 and 2011 World Cup.

Eighteen year old canoeist Eitenne Chappell was announced as the Carwyn James Young Sportsman 2019, whilst fifteen year old WCMX world champion Lily Rice was named Carwyn James Young Sportswoman of the Year.

Sports fan Mia Lloyd was named Inspiring Person of the Year 2019. The 12 year old cancer survivor who had an above-the-knee amputation now takes part in athletics, wheelchair basketball, swimming, golf, climbing, adaptive skiing and para-cycling.

The Great Sport Story of the Year 2019 went to the Homeless World Cup which was held in Cardiff over the summer. The organisers, backed by Hollywood actor Michael Sheen, saw more than 500 players from nearly 50 nations come together for the 7-day festival of football.

Goodgym in Cardiff and the Vale took the Getting Wales Active Award 2019. This running club helps tackle social issues, such as loneliness, by completing ‘good deeds’ during their runs, combining getting fit with helping their local community.

The new Coaching Chain of the Year award recognised the achievements of Olympic sailor Hannah Mills. This award celebrates the people who have helped to shape her sporting journey over the years, from community and elite settings.

Brian Davies, acting chief executive of Sport Wales said: “What a privilege to be in the company of such inspiring and worthy winners of these prestigious awards.

“From stories such as Mia Lloyd’s heart-warming journey where sport has transformed her life, to the success seen on the world stage by stars such as Alun Wyn Jones and Hannah Mills.

“It’s clear that sport is thriving here in Wales, and I look forward to seeing more people enjoy the benefits of sport in 2020.”