Benjamin Pritchard wins BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2025
A history-making moment as Benjamin becomes the first ever rower to win prestigious award
Paralympic, World and European champion Benjamin Pritchard has won the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year. This is the first time since the awards began in 1954 that a rower has won the trophy, which is recognised as the most prestigious annual sports award in Wales. Benjamin is also only the third para athlete to win this trophy, alongside Olivia (Livvy) Breen and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.
Benjamin has gone from strength to strength since winning Paralympic gold at Paris 2024. He began 2025 with a best time and European title at the European Rowing Championships in Plovdiv and followed that up with a world best time and his first World title at the World Rowing Championships in Shanghai, cementing his dominance as the World’s leading PR1 single sculler. Just last weekend he also won the PR1 Open 2000m at the British Rowing Indoor Championships for the third time. Uniquely, he currently holds all three Paralympic, World and European titles as well as the championship record time at each of the events.
BBC Wales interrupted his training session at the Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake, home of the GB Rowing Team, to surprise him with the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year trophy. Admiring the historic silverware, a very emotional Benjamin said: “I am lost for words. I’m a massive sports fan and look at the legends who have won before me… People like Geraint Thomas, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Sir Gareth Edwards and Alun Wyn Jones, and now I’m on there too! Thank you – I’m really chuffed to be recognised for my rowing career. My family won’t believe this. They’ll be so happy and proud!
“This is recognition for all the hard work that’s gone into this project over the years. Thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way, from my wife, friends and family to all the coaches and staff at British Rowing and in Swansea. Nine years ago I was in a hospital bed aiming to live my life again and dreaming of going to a Paralympic Games and here I am winning the most prestigious award in Welsh sporting history. It’s amazing and means so so much.”
Louise Kingsley, British Rowing Director of Performance said: “Congratulations to Benjamin for his excellent results over the last 12 months and thank you to BBC Wales for recognising his achievements. Great Britain is the World’s most successful para rowing programme and we are continually on the look out for passionate, talented athletes to join the programme. What better time to contact our coaches and see if you have what it takes to be part of this exceptional team!”
