Sport

Army rugby international and Navy hockey star win big prizes at UK Armed Forces Sports Awards

British Army and Fijian rugby union star Manuqalo Komaitai has been named as the UK Armed Forces Sportswoman of the Year.

Sportsman of the Year is Royal Navy hockey player Rich Jenkin while the Army netball team pipped Royal Navy golf and RAF rugby league for Team of the Year.

The awards were held at the RAF Club in London with live coverage on the BFBS Forces News YouTube channel.

For Komaitai, it's a great end to a phenomenal 12 months. The Irish Guardsman, who'd never played rugby before joining the Army, not only starred for her service as the Army again ran away with the 2025 Inter Service championship, but also for Fiji, scoring tries in last year's World Cup.

She couldn't be at the ceremony, but speaking from home in Fiji, she expressed her delight at winning the award.

She told BFBS: "I was delighted and honoured just to be nominated, but to win is amazing and so a huge thanks. I'm looking forward to celebrating on my return.

"2025 was not an easy year for me and comes with a lot of sacrifice and determination. I'm very thankful to my unit, my commanding officer, the chain of command and to Army Rugby Union and Army Sport for trusting, supporting and allowing me to do what I love."

The runners-up, Royal Navy's equestrian star Amy Taylor and RAF cycling's Sarah Toms, were also honoured.

DATE UNKNOWN Rich Jenkin Navy hockey Credit BFBS.jpg — The Navy's Rich Jenkin took the top male prize (Picture: BFBS)

Sportsman of the Year is Royal Navy hockey player Rich Jenkin. He has a clutch of medals representing England over recent Masters World Cup tournaments and does so much to promote his sport within the senior service, as well as training helicopter pilots in the day job.

He has only just returned from winning yet another Masters World Cup gold medal for England, scoring 17 goals in five games. In his speech, he paid tribute to Navy hockey as well as Tim Lomas.

He said: "He always knows how to sniff out a bit of talent. He's got a nose for these things. He was there at the very beginning. And then, yeah, the guys have been really supportive all the way through my Navy hockey career, if you like."

The RAF's angler Steven Reid and Army martial arts' Thandor Dlamini pushed Jenkin all the way for the UKAF Sportsman title.

The Sports Official of the Year is RAF Target Shooting's Scott Glanville, who was chosen ahead of Royal Navy rugby head coach Dave Pascoe and Army boxing's Staff Sergeant James Battle.

There were Special Achievement awards handed to RAF Rugby League's Damian Clayton for a lifetime of service to the sport and Al Curtain for his amazing service to Martial Arts.

Al Roberts, Laura Blagdon and Andy Campion masterminded last year's Women’s International Defence Rugby Competition and were also given awards.