2020’s sporting year got a belated bookend last night with the broadcast of the RTÉ Sport Awards and the naming of Katie Taylor as the RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year.
Joanne Cantwell and Darragh Maloney presented the awards from an empty studio last night interspersed with video montages of the shortlisted individuals and teams across all four categories.
Limerick teenager Oisin O’Callaghan was named Young Sportsperson of the Year after claiming a first-ever downhill gold for Ireland at the Junior World Mountain Bike Championships in Austria.
It was O’Callaghan’s first-ever race at that level. The 17-year-old followed up his win in Austria with two stage wins at the recently held World Cup competition in Portugal.
Limerick manager John Kiely won Manager of the Year as the Treaty boss saw his impressive Limerick team go through the year unbeaten. They were the standout hurlers in 2020, winning back-to-back league and Munster titles, as well as regaining the Liam McCarthy Cup they last won in 2018.
Kiely’s Limerick charges over-powered Waterford to complete the perfect season and reclaim the All-Ireland hurling title. The Treaty County won all ten of their competitive 2020 matches to claim the League, Munster and All-Ireland titles and last night were named as the RTÉ Sport Team of the Year, with Declan Hannon accepting the award.
Katie Taylor put on a boxing masterclass to successfully defend her undisputed lightweight belts against challenger Miriam Gutierrez, inflicting a first professional defeat on the Spaniard.
In August, the Bray boxer defeated her nemesis Delfine Persoon in a gruelling rematch. Taylor finished the year being named Ring Magazine’s ‘Female Fighter of the Year’ for the second year in succession.
This was her second win in the RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year Awards.
Sport for Business Partners
