Top stars honoured at British Sports Writers' Awards

JESSICA Ennis has been named sportswoman of the year by the British Sports Journalists' Association.

ALL SMILES: Jess Ennis was the biggest winner at the Sports Journalists' Association awards in London (Getty Images)

The 23-year old Sheffield athlete, who won heptathlon gold at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, has been busy doing the rounds at the traditional end of the year award ceremonies.

She has already scooped the British Athletics Writers' Association gong and has been nominated for this weekend's BBC Sports Personality award.

Phillips Idowu, who won triple jump gold at the Olympiastadion, was third in the men's category behind F1 champion Jenson Button and England Ashes captain Andrew Strauss.

However, his achievement - a long-awaited first major outdoor medal - secured him the award for outstanding performance.

Double Paralympic champion Eleanor Simmonds - who won six golds at last week's IPC World Short Course Championships in Rio and five titles at the European Championships a few weeks earlier - was also honoured.

She shares the the Bill McGowran Trophy for the disabled sports personality - the longest established of its kind, first awarded in 1963 - with sailor Hilary Lister.

“It is a great honour to win this award in front of so many amazing sports stars and sports professionals," said Simmonds.

“It really has rounded off a great year for me and everyone involved within the sport. I won a few medals in relay events this year and I couldn’t have won this award without the team’s support.

“I am still quite surprised to have won the award and it was amazing to be sat next to someone like Phillips Idowu.”

The trophy for the outstanding contribution to British sport off the field of play was presented jointly to Phil Kimberley and David Faulkner, for their work in steering England's hockey men to victory over Germany in the final of the European Championship in Holland.

Sports writers presented their Committee Award to British Gymnastics, following their successful staging of the World Gymnastics Championships at London's 02 Arena.

Sir Michael Parkinson's SJA President's Award went to show jumper Ellen Whitaker.

The SJA is an association for British-based professional sports journalists, whether writers or photographers, editors, cartoonists or broadcasters. For more information visit www.sportsjournalists.co.uk