Alice Tai has once again been rewarded for her sensational season, this time collecting a Sports Journalists Association (SJA) trophy.
At the annual awards event, which is the oldest of its kind, Tai was awarded the SJA’s Para Athlete of the Year accolade, just reward for the seven world titles she won in September.
Tai, who was crowned British Swimming Athlete of the Year earlier this month, was the most successful athlete at September’s World Championships in London, with victories across an impressive range of disciplines including the 100m Freestyle, 100m Backstroke, 100m Butterfly, 400m Freestyle, 50m Freestyle (all in the S8 class) and two relay golds.
On top of her London success, Alice set five new world records in 2019 with dominant displays at the Glasgow and Berlin legs of the Para Swimming World Series, which saw her crowned overall series champion.
On the award, Tai said:"To receive this award is really awesome. Following the year I’ve had, I can’t begin to explain how cool it is to get this sort of recognition at so many different events.
I love coming to these sort of events where there is so many different people from so many different sports. It’s great to learn about each other, be aware of all the success we’ve had as a country this year and it celebrate together.”
On top on her award Tai was further nominated in the Sportwoman of the Year category, whilst fellow aquatics star Adam Peaty was recognised on the Sportman of the Year shortlist for his 2019 exploits which included three gold medals and a new 100m Breastroke world record at this summers World Championships.
British Para-Swimming’s National Performance Director Chris Furber added:
“Alice deserves all of the recognition she is getting, as her achievements in 2019 were simply outstanding, particularly after moving training base. That being said, I know Alice and her coach Dave Heathcock are already focussed on the future and leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of even greater performances in Tokyo.”
Previous winners of this prestigious award include Sophie Hahn, Kadeena Cox, Will Bayley and Para-Swimming’s very own Ollie Hynd.
Tai is back in action at the National Para-Swimming Championships in Manchester this weekend, the event, run by the Activity Alliance, acting as the trials for places on the Great Britain team for the European Para-Swimming Championships in Madeira in May. The full selection policy can be found here.