Trio On Shortlist For Swansea Sportsperson Of The Year

A mixed martial artist, an orienteer and a swimmer are in the frame to be named Swansea Sportsperson of the Year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Brett Johns, Kristian Jones and Aaron Moores are the three people shortlisted for the accolade at the annual Swansea Sports Awards being held in March. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea Council’s sport and health team is behind the awards, which have been recognising local sporting achievement for 14 years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Not only did Johns, from Pontarddulais, become the first Welshman to make the Ultimate Fighting Championship roster – he also won on his debut in Belfast in November. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Jones, from Swansea and currently a PhD student in Dundee, is a top class orienteer – a sport where participants navigate as quickly as possible between control points marked on an orienteering map. Golds in the World University Orienteering Championships, the British Orienteering Championships and the British Fell and Hill Running Relays were among his 2016 accomplishments. Jones also won the 5000m at the Scottish Athletics Championships, as well as the Stirling 10k. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Aaron Moores, a Swansea-based swimmer who trains at the Wales National Pool, won gold at the Rio Paralympic Games in the SB14 100 metres breaststroke. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Mark Child, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Healthy City and Wellbeing, said: “The shortlisting of Brett, Kristian and Aaron follows a meeting of an independent panel as we build up towards the Swansea Sports Awards at the Brangwyn Hall. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“All three have had years to remember, but as well as celebrating our elite sportspeople the sports awards are also aimed at recognising unsung heroes in community sport – from a particularly successful primary or secondary school to the volunteers and coaches whose hours of hard work behind the scenes may otherwise go unnoticed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The annual sports awards is an evening where the Swansea sporting community at both elite and grass roots level comes together to celebrate success, dedication and commitment.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Wales football manager Chris Coleman is in the running for the Performance Coach of the Year award, as well as Swim Wales’ Stuart McNarrry and Natalie Lucitt Jenkins – a high performance coach at Swansea Gymnastics Centre. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Other categories include Volunteer of the Year, Community Coach of the Year and Junior Disabled Sportsperson of the Year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Have a look at www.swansea.gov.uk/2016Shortlist to see the full list of categories and people shortlisted. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The 2016 winners will be announced in a special ceremony held at the Brangwyn on Thursday March 16. Tickets for the award ceremony are now on sale at www.swansea.gov.uk/sportsawards ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​