Hughes, himself a wheelchair user, took the honour in the Coach to Disabled Performers category.

At a World Championships where Welsh athletes represented 18 per cent of the British medal haul, his athletes made significant contributions, as Nathan Stephens (pictured below) took gold in the F57 javelin, Aled Sion Davies won silver in the F42 discus, and former powerlifter Kyron Duke was bronze medallist in the F40 javelin.

In August, Stephens, who has high hopes for next year's Paralympics, broke the world record at the Czech Open, recording a distance of 41.37 metres.

As national performance manager for Disability Sport Wales, Hughes has led the formation of the successful academy programme at the National Indoor Athletics Centre, making Wales pound-for-pound one of the world's most successful elite disability sporting nations.

Of the 31 Welsh athletes who were part of the Great Britain squad at the Beijing Paralympics in 2008, nine of these were first-time Paralympians having come through the academy programme.

"I wasn't expecting that," said Hughes at the annual ceremony in Cardiff.

"To be in a room with so many worthy coaches and sports people is fantastic and I'm so pleased to win the award.

"I'm really passionate about what I do and I'm smiling inside.

"I strive to be the very best I can be on the world stage, as well as with all the people around me.

"I'm very lucky I've met some fantastic young people along the way who have worked hard to achieve in sport."

Emphasising the importance of coaches to Welsh sport, Welsh Government funding helps Sport Wales invest around £5 million ($8 million/€6 million) each year in grassroots and elite coaching, with the organisation committing to double the number of coaches and volunteers in Wales, to around 250,000 by 2016 – around 10 per cent of the population.


Sports Minister Huw Lewis said: "We have a wealth of talented sports coaches across Wales and their dedication and passion is helping athletes of all abilities to reach their full potential."

Chair of Sport Wales, Professor Laura McAllister said: "As well as my pride in seeing Welsh athletes and teams pick up medals and trophies, learning about the inspirational work of these coaches and volunteers is one of the best parts of my role at Sport Wales.

"As we continue to achieve success we would be nothing without the people who put in hours and hours every week, often unpaid, to provide opportunities and improve our next generation of stars.

"It isn't just about elite sport but giving opportunities to everyone.

"Our winners and finalists show how this is done in Welsh sport.

"We will continue to encourage, support and improve coaches in any way we can.

"We need the public to step forward and help out in their community – particularly with big events like London 2012 increasing interest like never before.

"Congratulations to Anthony and all our winners and finalists."

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