ARGUS COMMENT...Calzaghes' awards long overdue (From South Wales Argus)

ARGUS COMMENT...Calzaghes' awards long overdue

11:16am Monday 10th December 2007

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AFTER 10 years at the peak of his sport Newbridge's Joe Calzaghe has finally won the recognition from the rest of Britain that his awesome exploits have long merited.

This newspaper has been a huge admirer of Calzaghe and all he has achieved going back to the days before he beat Chris Eubank to win the world title a decade ago.

But it has been a long struggle for him, and his incredible coach and dad Enzo, to have their feats acknowledged by the sporting public and the sporting establishment of the UK generally.

If anything Calzaghe junior should have picked up the BBC Sports Personality of the Year title last year after his spectacular demolition of American Jeff Lacey, but it went to Zara Phillips instead.

Last night, however, against an even stronger cast of contenders, Joe triumphed at last. And to cap his achievement Enzo collected the award as top coach of the year - again a tribute to the relentless success he has enjoyed in producing an almost unparalled stable of world and British champions.

These two men have lifted Welsh sport to an amazing level in an arena that is sometimes let down by promoters and unworthy champions.

Joe and Enzo Calzaghe are not just great sportsmen, but they are great men who have not allowed their dizzying success to spoil them.

We salute them both and would hope that Wales, in the form of the Assembly, and their local authority, Caerphilly Council, can find an appropriate way to mark their achievements on behalf of the Welsh nation.

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