Emma Finucane Named BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year for 2024

Track cyclist Emma Finucane has been named the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year for 2024, marking her second consecutive win of the award. The 21-year-old athlete from Carmarthen achieved remarkable success this year, becoming the first woman in six decades to secure three medals for Team GB at a single Olympic Games. Participating in her inaugural Olympics, Finucane was a member of the team that earned gold in the team sprint at Paris 2024, alongside Katy Marchant and Sophie Capewell, setting a new world record. She subsequently secured bronze medals in both the keirin and individual sprint events at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome. A British woman has not achieved such extensive medal success at a single Olympic Games since Mary Rand at Tokyo 1964. Following her performance, Finucane commented that, “to come away with three medals is more than I could have dreamed of”. The Wales women’s football team also received recognition for a year of sporting excellence, winning the Team of the Year award. Under coach Rhian Wilkinson, the team made history by qualifying for a major championship for the first time, securing their spot at next summer’s Euro 2025 finals in Switzerland with a tense 3-2 aggregate victory over the Republic of Ireland in the play-off final. “When I heard the news I couldn’t believe it,” Finucane informed BBC Sport Wales. “Obviously after winning my first one last year that was such a massive achievement for me, to be amongst so many names.” “I remember looking at the trophy last year, I was in awe of the names I was next to.” “Then to win it the next time… I think that’s crazy and I’m so honoured to be recognised by the whole of Wales. It’s such an honour to be a Welsh athlete and a Welsh rider – I’m just privileged to win this award, thank you.” “The Olympics was the best week of my life; honestly it was challenging, I challenged myself mentally and physically – it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do – but to come away with a gold and two bronzes, I couldn’t have done anything more.” Track cyclist Emma Finucane earned three medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, among them a gold in the team pursuit. Finucane established her strong form early in the Olympic year, securing three medals at the UEC Elite Track European Championships, which took place in the Netherlands in January. In Apeldoorn, she achieved a historic feat by becoming the first British woman to claim the individual sprint European title, subsequently adding silver medals in the keirin and team sprint events. The subsequent month, Finucane, along with Marchant, Capewell, and Lauren Bell, secured gold in the team sprint at the inaugural UCI Tissot Track Nations Cup of the season in Adelaide, Australia. March saw another World Cup gold for the team sprint in Hong Kong, where Finucane also achieved first place in both the keirin and individual sprint. Following her significant Olympic achievements in Paris in August, Finucane’s next major competition was the UCI Tissot Track World Championships in Ballerup, Denmark, held in October. Finucane successfully retained her women’s individual sprint title, making her the first British woman since Victoria Pendleton in 2010 to win consecutive titles. She subsequently completed the Olympic-World Championship double in the women’s team sprint, competing with Capewell and Marchant, improving upon their silver medal performance from Glasgow last year. Finucane now stands alongside one of her admired figures, fellow cyclist Geraint Thomas, as a two-time recipient of the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year award. “When [I was told] I’d won again I couldn’t believe it,” Finucane further stated. “So many sports in Wales and so many amazing sports people in Wales who deserve this award too, and the fact I’ve won it again is insane – and I guess it is like winning an Olympic medal.” “I’m really passionate about my home country and competing for Wales, and I’m so excited for the Commonwealth Games in 2026 because I get to put back on that Welsh jersey which I haven’t for a long time.” An expert panel, led by Paralympic icon and Sport Wales chair Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, selected her for the BBC Cymru Wales award. The panel also included former Wales footballer and netball player Nia Jones, Sport Wales’ Owen Lewis, Professor Katie Thirlaway, dean of Sport and Health Sciences at Cardiff Metropolitan University, and Nigel Walker, executive director of rugby for the Welsh Rugby Union. “It was an absolute privilege to chair this year’s panel as 2024 has been a fantastic year for Welsh sport,” Grey-Thompson commented. “It was incredibly tough for our panel to choose amongst the many Welsh athletes who have showcased an exceptional level of talent and dedication throughout the past year.” “Emma delivered an outstanding performance in Paris, becoming the first British woman since 1964 to win three medals in a single Games. “However, it is important to acknowledge her consistency across all competitions this year, not just in Paris. Her remarkable performances in both the European and World Championships have undoubtedly highlighted what an extraordinary young athlete she is.” During the panel’s discussions, several athletes received high commendation, including footballer Jess Fishlock, Para-shot putter Sabrina Fortune, boxer Lauren Price, Para-canoeist Laura Sugar, cyclist Elinor Barker, swimmer Matt Richards, Para-cyclist James Ball, Para-taekwondo athlete Matt Bush, Para-rower Ben Pritchard, and Para-archer Jodie Grinham. Finucane began cycling at the age of eight with her younger sister Rosie at Towy Riders. The Great Britain Cycling Team identified her talent, leading her to join their academy programme in 2018, and she subsequently became a junior European champion the following year. In 2023, Finucane secured all four women’s sprint titles at the National Track Championships, followed by her initial individual Track Nations Cup victory in the sprint. After earning two silver medals at the European Championships, she went on to win her first world title at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, becoming only the third British female sprint world champion and, at 20 years old, the youngest.