TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED

We are delighted announce that four of our authors took home awards at the Telegraph Sports Book Awards 2021. Congratulations to James Hook, David Brayley, Rob Kitson and Paul Tonkinson!

Children’s Sports Book of the Year

Chasing A Rugby Dream by James Hook and David Brayley (Polaris)

Small, skinny and short-sighted . . . and dazzlingly talented.

Jimmy Joseph loves rugby. All he dreams about is one day playing for his country in a World Cup, or winning a Test series for the Lions with a last-minute drop-goal. But when he kicks an up-and-under in the schoolyard and accidentally hits the new head of PE, Mr Kane, on the head, he makes a powerful enemy.

Jimmy and his best friends – Manu, Matt and Kitty – try to prove their worth on the rugby field, but to no avail. Mr Kane has it out for them, and he’s being helped by team captain Mike Green, well known as the school bully.

Can Jimmy and his friends overcome the tyranny of Mr Kane and help Mike see the error of his ways? Or will the combination of bullying, pressure and dirty tactics derail the friends’ rugby careers before they have even begun?

An epic new rugby series begins here!

Rugby Book of the Year

Exe Men: The Extraordinary Rise of the Exeter Chiefs by Rob Kitson (Polaris)

Among the best stories in British team sport over the past decade has been the rise of Exeter Chiefs. How, exactly, did an unfashionable team from Devon emerge from obscurity to conquer the summit of English rugby? What makes them tick? What are their secrets?

Exe Men is a compelling tale of regional pride, fierce rural identity, larger-than-life local heroes, remarkable characters, epic resilience, big city snobbery, geographical separation, steepling ambition and personal sacrifice which will strike a chord with anyone who enjoys a classic underdog story.

This is not just any old rugby book, it is the inside story of how a small-town club from the edge of nowhere became every neutral’s favourite team.

Sports Entertainment Book of the Year

26.2 Miles to Happiness by Paul Tonkinson (Bloomsbury)

The hilarious trials and tribulations of stand-up comedian Paul Tonkinson as he attempts to beat the much lauded 3-hour mark at the London Marathon. With a supporting cast of fellow comedians, this is a warmly written and wonderfully honest adventure-through-sport that will both entertain and inspire.

Along the way, we are introduced to the characters helping Paul with his quest. Celebrity names such as Bryony Gordon, Russell Howard, Roisin Conaty and Vassos Alexander pop up with wit and wisdom, alongside an alpine adventure to the Mayr Clinic with Michael McIntyre that pushes Paul to the limit. And not forgetting the ‘words of wisdom’ and derision from Paul’s anti-running friend, Richard.