A record number of entries have been received for this year’s British Sports Journalism Awards.

Almost 500 entries have been received in 30 categories, including new ones such as Multimedia Sports Package, Rugby World Cup photography portfolio, Football Picture, and Sports Commentator.

There is also a specialist Regional Sports Journalist award, presented for “high-quality reporting, featuring writing or investigative journalism” from regional or local media

Selected judging panels, comprising journalists and sportsmen from across Great Britain, decide the winners, apart from the Sports Writer of the Year and Sports Newspaper of the Year which are decided on by a panel of sports editors.

The awards, organised by the Sports Journalists’ Association, will be handed out at a glittering ceremony at the Lancaster Hotel, London, on Monday 22 February.

The shortlisted entires will be published on the SJA website on Wednesday.

Anyone interested in attending the awards dinner, hosted by broadcaster Jim Rosenthal, can apply via the SJA website.