THE cream of Newport's sporting talent gathered at the Riverfront Theatre last night to see St Joseph's boxer Mo Nasir take the Personality of the Year award.

Mo, who won bronze at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games is now training with the Great Britain team with the goal of making the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Nasir trains at Tony Borg's St Joseph's gym with four professional fighters and friends, Gary Buckland, Jamie Way, Robbie James and Matthew Edmonds.

Boxing News magazine has rated Nasir as the second best amateur light-flyweight in Britain.

The Argus-sponsored Services to Sport award went to Peter Sanders of St Michael's Baseball Club who, after playing football for Newport County and rugby in his younger days, devoted his life to promoting sport in Pill. He is affectionately known as the Godfather of Pill'.

Award winners: Sports Personality of the year: Mo Nasir (St Joseph's Boxing Club); Services to Sport award: Peter Sanders (St Michaels Baseball Club); Young Club Member: Louise Booth (City of Newport Swimming and Water polo Club); Most Promising Young Sportswoman: Abi Difford (Gwent Sword Club); Most Promising Young Sportsman: Elliot Hardee (Newport Harriers Athletics Club); Young Sportswoman of the year: Olivia Scarfi (Stow Park Tennis Club); Young Sportsman of the year: Christopher Gunter (Cardiff City AFC); Disability Sportsperson of the Year: Phil Cochrane (Cardiff All Tennis Club); Junior Team of the year: Newport Cricket Club Under-15; Senior Team of the year: Newport Harriers Senior Welsh League Team; Coach of the year: Neil Smith (Newport Velo Cycling Club); Administrator of the year: Jayne Collins (City of Newport Archers)