Sport

RAF Sports Awards: The winners

RAF Sport have honoured their top performers and officials of 2022 with an awards ceremony at Halton House.

Sportsman of the Year is RAF Regiment's Lance Corporal Shanwayne Stephens who made history at the Beijing Winter Olympics leading the Jamaican bobsleigh team to defy all the odds and compete with the very best.

"It's a shock," he said. "It just goes to show that the hard work and determination that you put into being a sportsperson finally pays off.

"The support from the RAF has been absolutely fantastic from when I got the opportunity to compete for Jamaica.

"Without the support of the RAF, friends and my beautiful fiancée who looked after my baby girl I left when she was eight weeks old to qualify for the Games, yeah, just a massive big thank you, really."

Sportswoman of the Year is Flying Officer Sarah Bonar, who as a Scottish international rugby union player has represented not only her country but also her service at the World Cup.

She was delighted to be selected, saying she was "a little bit shocked and really humbled to be nominated alongside two other incredible athletes".

"It's amazing really – I do what I love and I'm so thankful for the support from the Royal Air Force and the branch to let me train and play.

"[They've] put me in the position to make the Scotland team and be at this World Cup.

"I hope to make everyone proud. Each time I put on my Scotland jersey, I know I'm representing my other life in blue and that's the air force."

Team of the Year is the Ladies' Cross Country team who won the Inter Services title for the first time in 34 years.

Football Referee Corporal Lauren Impey is official of the year and Rugby Union's Sergeant Robert Phair was given the Administrator of the Year award.

Roy Brunning (triathlon), Chris Egan (Badminton), Liam Perry (Motorsport) and Tony Stead (Table Tennis) have a combined service of 160 years and received lifetime achievement awards.

Watch: The ceremony in full on our YouTube channel below.