The Western Telegraph’s Fraser Watson is in the running for a top sports award, to be announced at noon today (Friday).

Fraser is one of the finalists for Sports Journalist of the Year at the Society of Editors’ Regional Press Awards.

Fraser covers a wide range of sports and never shies awway from tackling issues. His work includes match reports, exclusive interviews and stories, analytical comments and live blogs.

His work has helped make the sport section of the Western Telegraph website the most read for any weekly newspaper website in Wales in 2019, and has also seen him shortlisted as a finalist in the Sports Journalist of the Year category at the Welsh Media Awards in March where nominations only usually extend to those working on national titles.

Never one to shy away from a challenge some of Fraser’s notable work this year has included an exclusive interview with Team GB Ice Swimmer Alistair Bell. Fraser joined him for a training session in order to give readers a true account of the dangers and techniques involved. The interview resulted in Alistair being contacted by several companies eager to sponsor him, which in turn allowed him to travel to Russia to swim in the World Championships.

In another exclusive, he interviewed Tal Selley, James Merriman, and Aled Thomas, who all won the 7s Rugby World Cup with Wales in Dubai in 2009. The trio all grew up playing in Pembrokeshire and yet their achievement, and that of the team, has seldom been celebrated in the Welsh press.

Fraser got all three together to recall the tournament. The interview prompted a huge reaction from Pembrokeshire rugby supporters who had been previously unaware of the feat.

Another of his reflective pieces recalled the old Pembrokeshire side beating Japan in 1983 was one of the most read pieces on the Western Telegraph website last year.

Frasers’s live coverage of local matches entails watching every detail of the game. He always endeavours to make the live coverage accurate, opinionated, informative, and humorous to keep readers engaged.

“Fraser is clearly prepared to go the extra mile for his craft – including ice swimming,” said the judges.

“But he combines this with the ability to uncover stories and present them in a no-nonsense style.

“Fraser’s interview with three key players of Wales World Cup winning Sevens squad was well-constructed and gave the inside story of a little regarded sporting achievement.”

You can watch the online video announcement of the Regional Press Award winners at midday today on the Society of Editors website, where details of all of those shortlisted can be found.

As the minutes tick away to the announcement the society is asking readers to share what you love about their local paper using the hashtag #LoveLocalMedia on Twitter.

It could be a picture with your local newspaper, sharing the link to your favourite article this week, or a campaign you feel has really made a difference to a community.

“The regional press has never been more needed and recent events have shown how vital a role it plays in our communities,” said executive director of the SoE, Ian Murray.

“The Regional Press Awards are our way of shining a light on the tremendous excellence that exists in the journalism created by local titles.”