St Mary’s Student Awarded Sports Journalism Association Academy Award

Sports Journalism master’s student at St Mary’s University, Twickenham (SMU) Ervin Ang has won the Sports Journalism Association (SJA) Academy Award 2025.

The SJA Academy Award in association with talkSPORT provides an opportunity for those with less than one year of experience in sports journalism, or those who have never worked in the industry full-time, to be recognised at the industry awards.

Ervin impressed the judges with his article entries that were not only strong in impact and well-crafted, but that also demonstrated many qualities that make a great journalist such as creativity, curiosity, resourcefulness, and initiative.

Ervin collected his award at the Sports Journalism Awards which took place at the Westminster Plaza Hotel on March 24th.

Alongside Ervin, fellow Sports Journalism student Emma Seligman won Highly Commended in the same category.

This is the third year in a row that a St Mary’s student has won the SJA Academy Award and been named Highly Commended, with Laura Howard and Shui Arun taking the top prize, and Adriana Wehrens and Evie Ashton named runners up in 2024 and 2023 respectively.

Three alumni from the Sports Journalism course at St Mary’s were also shortlisted for SJA awards this year.

Speaking on winning the SJA Academy Award Ervin said, “It’s a great honour to be picked as the SJA Academy Award winner, especially as a hopeful Singaporean trying to forge a sports journalism career in the UK.

“One of my submissions was a critical commentary, merging sports and politics, on Singapore’s authoritarian government following the viral Valencia fans’ protest last October. Moving to the UK has allowed me to fully express my opinions and it means a lot to me that this piece has been recognised by such an esteemed panel.

“This win certainly vindicates my choice to leave Singapore and it motivates me to keep working harder towards my goals.”

Emma also commented, “I am incredibly honoured and proud to be highly commended for the SJA Academy Award. A huge congratulations for Ervin for his thoroughly deserved win. Thanks to Daragh Minogue and all the brilliant lecturers on the Sports Journalism MA at St Mary's for their guidance and support.”

You can find out more about the Sports Journalism master’s course at St Mary’s University at https://www.stmarys.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/sports-journalism