2009 Texaco Sportstars of the Year Awards presented
DUBLIN, 19th NOVEMBER 2009 - The nine top Irish sports stars chosen as winners of the 2009 Texaco Sportstars of the Year Awards on this, the 52nd year of the event, are being presented with their awards at a gala awards dinner held in the Four Seasons Hotel, Dublin this evening. Two of the nine sportstars were chosen as joint winners of the Horse Racing award.
Decided upon by sports editors representing print and broadcast media, north and south, the full line-up of this year's Texaco award winners is:
| Olive Loughnane | Athletics | |
| Bernard Dunne | Boxing | |
| Tomás Ó Sé | Gaelic Football | |
| Rory McIlroy | Golf | |
| John Oxx & Michael Kinane | Horse Racing | |
| Tommy Walsh | Hurling | |
| Brian O’Driscoll | Rugby | |
| John O’Shea | Soccer |
Two additional awards are also being presented. The Texaco Young Sportstar Award - a new award introduced last year which is aimed at young sports stars of 18-years and under - is being presented to Champion swimmer Gráinne Murphy from Ballinaboola in Co. Wexford.
In a year when the GAA is celebrating its 125th anniversary, the 2009 Texaco Hall of Fame award is being presented to one of the most admired players in the history of hurling - the legendary Kilkenny hurler Eddie Keher.
Of the nine stars who will receive Texaco Sportstars Awards, five are being honoured for the very first time - Olive Loughnane, Tomás ó Sé, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Walsh and John O'Shea. Those who have won awards on previous occasions are Bernard Dunne (2006), John Oxx (1995), Michael Kinane (1988, 1989 & 1993) and Brian O'Driscoll (2000, 2002 & 2007)
Commenting, Enda Riney, Country Chairman, Chevron (Ireland) Limited said, 'The role which sport has in the lives of Irish people and the status which Ireland enjoys in international sporting competitions are reflected in the distinguished list of sportstars chosen to receive Texaco Sportstars Awards this year. The success being achieved by our sporting heroes, in domestic and international events, is something of which we, as a nation, can be proud.'
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