BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality 2016: Jade Jones wins top award

Olympic taekwondo gold medallist Jade Jones is BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality 2016.

Jones, 23, won a public vote to succeed rugby union's 2015 winner Dan Biggar.

Results of the vote were revealed at the Wales Sport Awards in Cardiff where BBC Cymru Wales and Sport Wales celebrated Welsh sporting success.

Wales' footballers are Team of the Year and boss Chris Coleman took a Special Recognition Award after their 2016 Euro success.

Jones secured the vote ahead of second-placed Wales and Real Madrid footballer Gareth Bale, with Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist Elinor Barker in third.

Jade Jones receives her award from Wales rugby great Gareth Edwards

Jones became the eighth person to twice win Wales' top sports award, having previously done so in 2012 after winning her first Olympic gold at the London Games.

"It is just amazing to win," Jones said. "Especially being from a low-key sport.

"There were so many big names and Wales had such a big year, I just can't describe the feeling. I did not think about doing the double, I just wanted to be Olympic champion again.

"I was just a naughty and cheeky eight-year-old when I started and went to my local club to burn off energy. And now I am here!"

Ken Jones, winner of the inaugural BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year in 1954, scores Wales' winning try against New Zealand in 1953

Jones battled through four fights to retain her crown in Rio in 2016.

The Flint fighter has secured GB's two taekwondo golds since the sport's introduction to the Olympics in 2000.

She defended the -57kg title won at London 2012 by again dominating her competition at Rio to become the first Welsh woman to defend an Olympic title.

Jones also won the European title earlier in the year to ensure a memorable 2016.

In 2017 Jones will be targeting the World Championships in Korea and the World Grand Prix series, which will host events in London and Manchester.

The other contenders for 2016 were Hollie Arnold (Para athletics), Owain Doull (track cycling), Aled Sion Davies (Para athletics), Hannah Mills (sailing) and Lee Selby (boxing).

They were chosen by a panel of experts, chaired by former Wales rugby international and Olympic 110m hurdler Nigel Walker.

Having ended ended a 57-year wait when they qualified for the final stages of a major tournament for the first time since the 1958 World Cup, Wales' footballers reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016.

Under manager Coleman, Wales beat Slovakia, Russia and Northern Ireland to top their group.

They went on to beat Belgium in the quarter-finals before losing to Portugal in the semi-finals in France.

Cardiff-born Wales and Wigan rugby league player Billy Boston received a lifetime achievement award.

He was the first black player to tour Australia with Great Britain and Boston scored more than 500 tries in an extraordinary career.

Signed by Wigan in 1953 after playing a handful of games in first-class rugby union for Pontypridd and Neath, Boston was an overnight sensation.

He helped Great Britain claim the Rugby League World Cup in 1960 and won the Challenge Cup three times with Wigan.

Billy Boston was born and raised in Tiger Bay, now known as Cardiff Bay

The Carwyn James Award for the best young sportswoman was won by rising taekwondo star Lauren Williams. The 17-year-old won the World Junior Championship title this year as well as the European senior crown in the -67kg category.

The best young sportsman award went to athlete Jake Heyward, 17, who overcame illness to count winning European Youth Championships 1500m gold in Tblisi, Georgia in July.

Other winners

Volunteer of the Year: Chris Landon, cycling, Cardiff

Community Coach of the Year: Paul Crapper, cycling, Monmouthshire

Young Coach of the Year: Daniel Johnsey, swimming, Monmouthshire

Young Volunteer of the Year: Joseph Jones, multi-sport, Conwy

Coach to Disabled People of the Year: Deb Bashford - Wheelchair Basketball/Gwynedd

Lifetime Achievement Award (Community): Nick Evans, cricket

Coach of the Year: Robin Williams, rowing

Coach of the Year Robin Williams took up rowing as a teenager at school in Monmouth.

He oversaw a 39-race winning streak - covering Olympic, world and European championships - for his women's rowing pair of Helen Glover and Heather Stanning, culminating in a gold medal defence of their title in Rio.

The Unsung Hero award has already been given to netball and football coach Vicki Randall, of Cwmbran, who will go on to represent Wales at the UK BBC Sports Personality of the Year event in Birmingham on Sunday, 18 December.

A review of the sporting year will be broadcast on BBC Cymru Wales television on Monday, 26 December at 16:00 GMT.

Please note the event is not connected with the UK Sports Personality of the Year and is for the Wales award only.

The UK Sports Personality of the Year will be decided at a live show on Sunday, 18 December.