Leeds United's Sporting Pride honour as Ethan Ampadu's message lights up Leeds Sports Awards | OneFootball

According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, Leeds United collected the Sporting Pride of Leeds at the 23rd Leeds Sports Awards, with Tony Dorigo accepting the honour and captain Ethan Ampadu sending a video message of thanks.

The city’s Carriageworks Theatre hosted the 16-category ceremony, fronted by Tanya Arnold and Jamie Jones-Buchanan, and organised by Leeds City Council and Sport Leeds. Organisers praised a year that stretched beyond results, uniting the city through pride, passion and belief.

Ampadu thanked supporters, called the accolade a great honour and reflected on last season’s surge back to the Premier League, highlighting the bus parade as a defining moment. Dorigo hailed the strengthening bond between club, city, team and fans.

Leeds Knights were named performance team or club of the year. The sportsperson of the year prize was shared by Leeds Rhinos’ Jake Connor, Olympic gymnast Luke Whitehouse and Great Britain lifesaving swimmer Samuel Lawman.

Swimmer Gabe Shepherd took young sportsperson of the year after his Commonwealth Games selection. Hannah Cockroft was recognised as disability sportsperson of the year following world championship success and the subsequent news of her pregnancy.

Special Recognition Awards went to retired world champion and Olympic medallist cyclist Lizzie Deignan and former rugby union star Danny Care. Mike Tobin, founder of Armley’s Tobin’s Gym, received a Special Contribution Award alongside badminton coaches Brian and Jill Wallwork after an emotional speech.

Dorigo applauded Yorkshire athletes’ mix of grit and approachability, noting the facilities now in place for elite progress across cycling, football and more. Leeds Sports Awards chair Rob Wadsworth and councillor Salma Arif underlined the city’s unity and the breadth of achievement, from elite performers to community heroes.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk