British Champions. Wales number one Tesni Evans with the women's trophy alongside men's title winner James Willstropp (England).

Good Evans – Tesni And Jon Are Best Of British, The Pride Of Squash In Wales, And Dragons Top Club

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Newtown Dragons and Maesteg were big winners during the annual Welsh Squash Awards in Cardiff.

More than 120 people from throughout Wales attended the Angel Hotel and Dragons were named club of the year, while two Maesteg members won trophies.

Michael Moseley is volunteer of the year, while Sally Davis received coach of the year.

Emily Gray from Milford Haven SRC is young coach of the year and Paul Thomas was rewarded for services to refereeing.

Wales have two British squash champions In World number nine Tesni Evans and Wales over-60 number one Jon Evans.

British champion – Wales number one Jon Evans.

Cardiff-born Tesni, who now lives in North Wales, retained her British Women’s Championship in Nottingham, beating England’s Emily Whitlock in the final 

“It was amazing to win the title again,” says Tesni. “The moment I won was special. I didn’t really know what to do at the end, but it was a great feeling

“Being Welsh means a lot to me. It’s part of who I am and one of the most important things to me. 

“I’m really proud of my season. It’s been great and I exceeded my personal targets, but I have to keep working to progress.

“I am more driven than I have ever been and that’s a weird feeling for me. I’m driven to see how far I can go.”

Tesni, who plays Premier League squash for Welsh Wizards, spends a lot of time helping young players and, along with former World number three and team-mate Marwen ElShorbagy, ran a coaching clinic before one of their mat chess at Sport Wales National Centre.

“Professional squash players spend a lot of time training and playing,” says Tesni. “It’s also important to ensure there is another generation of players c coming through. We have a responsibility to inspire young people, boys and girls.

“It’s important to sport in Wales.”

Jon, who now lives in the North East of England and plays out of the Tynemouth club, was crowned British Over-60 champion, winning the final in straight games against Pontefract’s Phil Wakefield.

Wales international Helen Barnard, who was seeded at two, went close in the women’s over-50 event.

Helen reached the final before being edged out 3-1 by Yorkshire’s Andrea Santamaria.

On the club front, Cowbridge exceeded expectations this season with a combination of league success and the record number of players gaining Welsh International honours.

The Cowbridge A team of Joel Preece, Dallas Hayvice, Liam Corrigan, Stacey Gooding and Dave Robertson won the South Wales Premier B Division and will compete in the top tier of Welsh squash, Premier A Division, when the new season starts in September.

That will be the first time in the club’s history that Cowbridge will compete at the in Premier A and will see all of the top teams in Wales, including a number of professional players, coming to the Vale of Glamorgan club.

In addition to the A team success, the B, C, and D teams all consolidated their positions in South Wales Division Two East, South Glamorgan Divisions One and Three respectively, all exceeding their expected finishing positions.

Six Cowbridge players earned international honours including all five A team players, together with B team and club captain Nick Guard.

Gooding was selected for the full Wales women’s team at the European Team Championships, while Preece (over 35), Guard (over 55), Hayvice (over 45) and Corrigan (over 45) all played masters squash for Wales.

Welsh Squash awards 2019:

Young coach of the year: Emily Gray (Milford Haven SRC, Pembrokeshire)

Volunteer of the year: Michael Moseley (Maesteg SRC)

Club coach of the year: Sally Davis (Maesteg SRC)

Squash club of year: Newtown Dragons

Referee service award: Paul Thomas

Welsh Squash Champions 2019: men Peter Creed; women Tesni Evans.

British Masters 0ver-60 British champion: Jon Evans (Tynemouth SRC, Northumberland) defeated Phil Wakefield (Pontefract) 15/10, 15/6, 15/7 in the final

British Masters Over-50 runner-up: Helen Barnard lost to Andrea Santamaria 11-15, 12-15, 15-7, 6-11 in the final.

British Junior Closed under-13: Ellie Breach (Neath) bronze medal

British Women’s Squash Championships, winner: Tesni Evans defeated Emily Whitlock (England) 11-3, 11-6, 11-5 in the final (31 mins).

Welsh caps:

Under-13 Five Nations Mixed Team Championships in Dublin, bronze medals: Archie Turnbull, Jared Evans, James Silvester, Louis Stephens, Isobel Beynon-Cobb, Eve Griffiths, Millie Breach.

Coach: Greg Tippings. chaperone: Ciara Richards .

Under-15 Five Nations Mixed Team Championships in Dublin, fourth: Daniel Lewis, Joshua Davies, Lewys Audsley, Ioan Sharpe, Alyx Kelleher, Ellie Breach, Olivia Stephens 

Coach: Nic Birt. Chaperone: Ciara Richards 

Under-15 European Team Championships in Eindhoven: Daniel Lewis, Joshua Davies, Lewys Audsley, Alex Kelleher, Ellie Breach

Coach: Nic Birt. Chaperone: Ciara Richards 

Under-17 European Team Championships in Eindhoven: James Smith, Rhys Evans Chaperone: Ciara Richards, Josh Audsley, Lucy Jones, Georgie Lincoln 

Coach: Andrew Evans. Chaperone: Ciara Richards.

Under 19 European Team Championships in Prague, eighth:  Lewis Poole, Srikar Mummidi, Kieran Hillman, Ciara Richards, Layna Beattie 

Coach: Andrew Evans. Chaperone: Alison Evans 

Senior European Women’s Team Championships in Birmingham, sixth: Tesni Evans, Dion Saffery, Elin Harlow, Stacey Gooding 

Senior European Women’s Team Championships in Birmingham, sixth: Joel Makin, Peter Creed, Emyr Evans, Elliott Morris-Devred, Owain Taylor 

Coach: David Evans 

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