A journalist who “spoke up for ordinary people” has scooped an awards quadruple for his work.

Will Hayward, Welsh Affairs editor at the Wales Online and Western Mail, triumphed in no less than four out of the 20 available categories at the Wales Media Awards 2022.

Will, pictured, won overall Journalist of the Year Feature, Writer of the Year, Newspaper Journalist of the Year and Political Journalist of the Year at a ceremony held in Cardiff.

Jonathan Grun, chairman of the Wales Media Awards judging panel and emeritus editor of the Press Association, praised Will’s “brilliant journalism at a time of national crisis and catastrophe which spoke up for ordinary people, explored the detail to expose inequalities and demanded answers from those in power.”

He added: “In a year when all journalists across Wales rose to the challenge of a lifetime, Will showed why a free press is important to society”.

Will’s victories were accompanied by further wins for Reach plc’s Welsh titles, with the South Wales Echo being named Newspaper of the Year and the Western Mail Weekend magazine taking Magazine of the Year.

Columnist of the Year went to the Cardiff-based Mail’s Sara Robinson.

Newsquest title the Powys County Times won Weekly Newspaper of the Year, while Young Journalist of the Year went to North Wales daily The Leader’s Joe Robinson.

David Owens, of Nation.Cymru, was named Sports Journalist of the Year. The winners were revealed at a ceremony held in Cardiff on Friday.

The full list of Award winners was:

Magazine of the Year
Western Mail Weekend magazine

Camera Operator of the Year
Tom Brown, BBC Sport Wales

Independent Community Journalism
Cwmbran Life

Feature Writer of the Year
Will Hayward, Wales Online & Western Mail

Columnist of the Year
Sara Robinson, Western Mail

Photographer of the Year
Joann Randles, Cover Images

Vlog/Blog of the Year
Chris Knight, ohwhataknight.co.uk

Newspaper Journalist of the Year
Will Hayward, Wales Online & Western Mail

Audio News Journalist of the Year
Mark Hutchings, BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 5 Live

TV Journalist of the Year
Rob Osborne, ITV Cymru Wales

News Website of the Year
BBC Cymru Fyw

Daily/Sunday Newspaper of the Year
South Wales Echo

Weekly Newspaper of the Year
Powys County Times

Specialist Journalist of the Year
Hannah Thomas, ITV Cymru Wales

Political Journalist of the Year
Will Hayward, Wales Online & Western Mail

Audio News & Current Affairs Programme of the Year
BBC Radio Cymru – Dros Frecwast

Sports Journalist of the Year
David Owens, Nation Cymru

Ed Townsend Student Journalist of the Year
Nest Jenkins, Cardiff University CJS News

TV News & Current Affairs Programme of the Year
ITV Cymru Wales – Coronavirus: A Care Home’s Story

Young Journalist of the Year
Joe Robinson, Flintshire & Wrexham Leader

Journalist of the Year
Will Hayward, Wales Online & Western Mail

Outstanding contribution
Clare Hudson