BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year
The BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year is a televised sporting competition, broadcast on BBC Two every year; and the most prestigious annual sport award in Wales. It was first awarded in 1954, and is currently organised by BBC Cymru Wales. Following a trial in 2002, the competition has been open to public voting, rather than a decision being made within the competition prior to this. It later reverted to being chosen by an expert panel of judges.
Olivia Breen, 2022 winner
Alun Wyn Jones, 2019 winner
Nicole Cooke, 2003 winner.
Colin Jackson, three-time winner.
Nicole Denise Cooke, MBE is a Welsh former professional road bicycle racer and Commonwealth, Olympic and World road race champion. At Beijing in 2008 she became the first British woman to win a Gold Olympic medal in any cycling discipline. Cooke announced her retirement from the sport on 14 January 2013 at the age of 29.
Cooke on the podium after winning the 2007 Geelong World Cup
Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. Team Australia celebrate beating World No 1 Nicole Cooke of Wales, the defending Champion, who Team Wales had sent to compete on her own. Team Wales sent a full squad of six for the men's race, none of whom finished the race. In her autobiography Cooke wrote "By their decision the WCU had gifted Australia, Canada, England and New Zealand my head on a plate".
Cooke wearing the British National Road Race Champion's jersey in the 2010 Flèche Wallonne Féminine, a race she won on three occasions, 2003, 2005 & 2006.
