Cyclist Geraint Thomas MBE has been named in the shortlist of ten athletes in contention for the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2012 award. Para-Cyclist Mark Colbourne is also in the running for this prestigious award.
A public vote will decide the winner from the extended 2012 shortlist of 10 contenders, with full voting details being announced on Monday 3rd December. In 2011, BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year was awarded to World Supersport Champion Chaz Davies.
Geraint Thomas was awarded the Carwyn James Junior Award at the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year event in 2004, and has since progressed in his career to become a professional cyclist representing Wales and Great Britain. In 2012, he sacrificed a year on the road with Team Sky to become both World and Olympic Champion again on the track in the Team Pursuit event,setting a new world record on the way.
Mark Colbourne claimed Wales’ first gold of the 2012 Paralympic Games in the track C1 3km Individual Pursuit, breaking the world record twice on that day. Colbourne, who previously represented Wales at volleyball, took up cycling after breaking his back in a paragliding accident in 2009.
The shortlist was compiled by a five-strong panel early in November in Cardiff consisting of Nigel Walker, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, David Davies, Non Evans and Jayne Ludlow. The panel also chose the Carwyn James Junior Sportsman of the Year, the Carwyn James Junior Sportswoman of the Year, Team of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Sports Personality of the Year 2012 – the shortlist
Gareth Bale (Football)
Leanda Cave (Triathlon)
Nathan Cleverly (Boxing)
Mark Colbourne (Cycling)
Aled Sion Davies (Athletics)
Tom James (Rowing)
Jade Jones (Taekwondo)
Dan Lydiate (Rugby)
Josie Pearson (Athletics)
Geraint Thomas (Cycling)
Commenting on the shortlist, Welsh Cycling’s Director of Performance Matt Cosgrove said:
“It’s great to see that in this Olympic & Paralympic year, both Geraint Thomas and Mark Colbourne have been shortlisted for this prestigious award. 2012 has been a fantastic year for Welsh sport, with success on the World and Olympic stages. Geraint Thomas is now a double Olympic gold medallist over two Games and Mark Colbourne a multiple Paralympic medallist in 2012. Both deserve to be recognised in their home country for their sporting achievements.”
