Stokes, Asher-Smith win SJA awards

London, Nov 29  England's World Cup hero Ben Stokes and world champion sprinter Dina Asher-Smith have been named sportsman and sportswoman of the year at the Sports Journalists Association (SJA) British Sports Awards.

Asher-Smith, history-making winner of three medals at this year's world championships in Doha, takes the top accolade for a second year in succession.

Stokes finished ahead of six-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton and Manchester City's England striker Raheem Sterling while Asher-Smith saw off Team Great Britain teammate Katarina Johnson-Thompson and footballer Lucy Bronze.

The SJA Awards were first staged in 1949 and are the oldest sports awards in Britain. The event was staged at The Pavilion at the Tower of London on Thursday and attended by 400 celebrity guests from sport, politics and the media.

The Team of the Year award went to England men's cricket who won the 50-over World Cup for the first time in England's history. Eoin Morgan's men beat Champions League winners Liverpool and the nation's Rugby World Cup finalists to Team of the Year.

Stokes' England teammate Jofra Archer was awarded the trophy for International Newcomer.