At 2010 SportsBall in London. 25 November 2010

David Roberts CBE was honoured by a charity that supported him for many years last night when he was presented with SportsAid’s Legends Award 2010 at the SportsBallTM in London.

The award - presented by Olympic silver medallist and BBC commentator, Leon Taylor - recognises SportsAid alumni who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and determination to achieve great things in their sport. As one of Britain’s most successful swimmers - winning seven medals at his first Paralympic Games in Sydney in 2000 - David joins an illustrious roster of Legends Award winners, including Peter Nicol MBE, Bradley Wiggins CBE and Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson.

“I am very fortunate, I love what I do,” David said at the event. “And that still keeps me training six days a week, out of bed at four in the morning, because thanks to sport I have been able to see and experience some amazing things.

“Although legends are usually retired, there’s still life in me yet. London will be my fourth and final Games so these next two years is all about one more gold medal.”

Asked what he would pass on to the next generation of stars supported by SportsAid, David said: “My advice would be to always have fun and enjoy it, and always remember where you’ve come from because you might go back there one day.”

SportsAid’s chief executive, Tim Lawler, said: “One of the reasons SportsAid makes a Legends Award is to acknowledge greatness in sport - to recognise someone whose achievements are way beyond being just ‘good’. David Roberts, multiple Paralympic Gold medallist, fits that description. He is the epitome of a genuinely great sportsman, right at the top of his game and we are delighted that he accepted the Legends Award at last night’s SportsBall. There have been many memorable milestones in David’s career and I suspect there are likely to be more given his ambitions for 2012.”

SportsAid is a charity established in 1976 to provide financial support to talented young athletes in Britain - many of whom, like David, later become our Olympic and Paralympic heroes. Recipients are indentified by their sport’s national governing body to ensure the right young athletes get the funding they need to succeed.