Get the biggest stories sent straight to your inbox Sign up for regular updates and breaking news from WalesOnline Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

RUGBY star Gareth Thomas has been crowned Hero of the Year, capping an incredible 12 months since he came out as gay.

Thomas, the first openly-gay rugby professional, was chosen by thousands of supporters of the gay, lesbian and bisexual charity Stonewall. He received the accolade in front of more than 450 people at the Stonewall Awards held at London’s V&A Museum on Thursday night.

The 36-year-old beat a shortlist which included X Factor winner Joe McElderry, BBC presenter Clare Balding and campaigner Kath Gillespie Sells.

The former Cardiff Blues skipper, who made his debut for the Welsh rugby league team last month, described the award as a “great honour”.

“For me being a hero is about being honest, which is not always easy in this world where we seem to be trying to make everyone the same sometimes,” he said.

“I want to do my bit to help make a change, to help make our world a place where we accept honesty and difference, and embrace it rather than fear it. Having my parents there to watch me receive the reward made it all the more special.”

Stonewall chief executive Ben Summerskill said: “Gareth Thomas has shown that being openly gay in sport needn’t be a barrier to a successful career.

“By coming out, he has inspired thousands of Stonewall supporters who overwhelmingly voted him as their Hero of the Year.”

It has been a whirlwind year for the former Wales full-back, who only revealed he was gay in a newspaper interview last December.

Since then he has switched codes to join the Wrexham-based Crusaders, become a dual-code international and campaigned against homosexual prejudice in sport. He is in talks with actor Mickey Rourke about making a film of his life.