The Jamaica Observer’s Sharlene Hendricks and Sherdon Cowan were named among the winners in the 2020 National Journalism Awards presented by the Press Association of Jamaica last Saturday night.

Hendricks was named Young Journalist of the Year, repeating her victory in that category in 2019, while Cowan won the Hugh Crosskill/Raymond Sharpe Award for Sports Journalism.

The big prize, Journalist of the Year, was awarded to TVJ‘s Kirk Wright.

The RJRGleaner Communications Group took the lion’s share of the awards, among them Dionne Jackson-Miller for Best TV Feature/Documentary; Anthony Lugg, TVJ, Carl Wint Award for Best Feature Story (electronic); Jovan Johnson of The Gleaner, President’s Award for Investigative Journalism; Erica Virtue, The Gleaner, Carl Wint Award for Best Feature Story; and Gladstone Taylor of The Gleaner, Junior Dowie Award for Sports Photography.

Twila Wheelan of the Jamaica Information Service won the Best Radio Feature/Documentary award.

Observer Executive Editor – Publications Vernon Davidson extended congratulations to all the winners who, he said, worked exceptionally hard, especially last year after the emergence of the novel coronavirus pandemic and during the general election.

“I am particularly proud of Sharlene and Sherdon as they have been exhibiting the tenacity, focus and commitment to research and balance required of journalists,” he said.

“All of us at the Observer are privileged to call Sharlene and Sherdon colleagues as they embody the spirit of the company,” he added.