BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2024: Cyclist Emma Finucane wins
Finucane is now twice on the BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year list, along with one of her heroes, cyclist Geraint Thomas.
“When (I was told) I had won again, I couldn’t believe it,” Finucane added.
“There’s so much sport in Wales and so many great sporting people in Wales who deserve this award and the fact that I’ve won it again is crazy – I guess it’s like winning an Olympic medal.
“I’m passionate about my country and playing for Wales and I’m really excited about the 2026 Commonwealth Games as I get to get back into the Wales jersey that I haven’t worn in a long time.”
She was selected for the BBC Cymru Wales Award by a panel chaired by Paralympic great Baroness Tenny Gray-Thompson, chair of Sport Wales, and including former Welsh footballer and netball player Nia Jones, Owen Lewis of Sport Wales, Katie Thirlaway, Dean of Sport and Health Sciences at Cardiff Metropolitan University and Nigel Walker, executive director of rugby at the Welsh Rugby Union.
Gray-Thompson said: “It is an absolute privilege to chair this year’s panel as 2024 promises to be a fantastic year for Welsh sport.”
“It was extremely difficult for our judging panel to choose from the many Welsh athletes who have shown exceptional talent and dedication over the past year.
“Emma performed brilliantly in Paris, becoming the first British woman to win three medals at a single Olympics since 1964.
“However, it is important to acknowledge her consistency in all competitions this year, not just in Paris. Her outstanding performances at the European and World Championships certainly highlight what a fantastic young athlete she is.”
Athletes who were highly praised during the panel deliberations included soccer player Jesse Fishlock, para shot putter Sabrina Fortune, boxer Lauren Price, para canoeist Laura Sugar , cyclist Eleanor Barker, swimmer Matt Richards, para cyclist James Ball, para taekwondo athlete Matt Bush, para rower Ben Pritchard and para archer Hands Judy Greenham.
Finucane started riding with Towy Riders when he was eight years old with his sister Rosie.
After being spotted by British Cycling, she joined the Academy program in 2018 and became European Junior Champion a year later.
In 2023, Finucane won all four women’s sprint titles at the National Track and Field Championships, and later won the individual track and field National Cup title for the first time in the sprint event.
After winning two silver medals at the European Championships, she won her first world title at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, becoming the third British women’s sprint world champion and the youngest world champion at just 20 years old.
