James who won double gold at the 2017 World Championships in Los Angeles, and ranked second in the world, won the award over fellow nominees powerlifter and Paramlympian track and field athlete Kyron Duke and Paralmypian athlete Jordan Howe.

The award is a brilliant start to the year for James, who will represent Wales in the men’s blind and visually impaired cycling event at the Commonwealth Games in April this year.

The Commonwealth Games is the only international multi-sport event which features an integrated para-sport programme. 2018 will see the largest para-sport programme in the history of the Games - with up to 300 para-athletes and 38 medal events across seven sports. This is an increase of 45% more athletes and 73% more medals compared to the para-sport competition staged at the last Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.