Tenby student Lily Rice was amongst prestigious company last week when she scooped the ‘Young Sportswoman of the Year’ award at the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2019 event.

The awards held at the Celtic Manor on December 10, hosted by Gethin Jones and Carol Vorderman honoured sporting heroes from all over Wales.

Jointly held by BBC Cymru Wales and Sport Wales, it celebrates the best of Welsh sport from grassroots to elite.

Fifteen-year-old wheelchair sport superstar Lily from Manorbier a pupil at Greenhill School was ‘quite literally - top of the world’ earlier in the year after winning gold in the Women’s WCMX World Championships held in Germany representing Great Britain in Cologne.

Her victory followed on from her second place in the North American championships in June.

Posting on social media after the awards Lily said: “Last night was unbelievable. I was so stoked to receive the ‘Carwyn James Sportswoman of the year award’ - thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way in my WCMX journey, I can’t wait to see what the next few years brings!”.

At the event Wales rugby union captain Alun Wyn Jones was crowned BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2019.

Fresh from the team’s successful run in the Rugby World Cup in Japan where they reached the semi-final, Alun Wyn was presented with the prize at the Wales Sports Awards after topping the public vote.

Sabrina Fortune and Jade Jones were announced in second and third place respectively.

‘Team of the Year’ went to the Wales rugby team following their successful run in the Rugby World Cup in Japan earlier this year which took them all the way to the semi-finals, with Warren Gatland taking ‘Coach of the Year’.

Former boxer Joe Calzaghe was presented with a lifetime achievement award by last year’s winner Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.

BBC Cymru Wales Director Rhodri Talfan Davies said: “Congratulations to everyone who has received an award tonight. Sport is such an integral part of the fabric of our communities, and it’s wonderful to be able to celebrate the athletes and organisers on all levels that make such a contribution to Welsh sport, from the grassroots to the elite.”

Brian Davies from Sport Wales said: “What a privilege to be in the company of such inspiring and worthy winners of these prestigious awards.

“It’s clear that sport is thriving here in Wales, and I look forward to seeing more people enjoy the benefits of sport in 2020.”