Riath Al-Samarrai – now a top sports writer with the Daily Mail

 


Those of you who, like me, were transfixed by the Sky Sports coverage of the 90^th US Masters Golf Tournament from its traditional home at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, USA, might also have been eagerly awaiting the next morning’s ‘Daily Mail’ for the superb coverage supplied there by Riath Al-Samarrai.
 
But some of these avid followers of this splendid journalist might not be aware that he was brought up and went to school in Haverfordwest, did his work experience at the Western Telegraph and then was mentored at the Milford Mercury by none other than our Gordon Thomas, the current co-owner of PembrokeshireSport.co.uk.
 

Had a great time at The Masters

 
Riath is now the Chief Sports Feature writer at the Daily Mail and has a weekly column in the ‘Mail on Sunday’, and readily admits that he is fortunate to attend a number of major sports events, and on this occasion he was lucky enough to be there from the warm-up days through to the epic finale where Rory MacIlroy secured his second successive trophy and iconic green blazer, plus the not inconsiderate first prize of $4.5 million!
 
Then on the Monday morning Riath was lucky to be part of a journalistic quartet allowed to play the whole 18 holes of arguably the most beautiful course in the world and in his terrific report he compared his hole-by-hole score with Mr McIlroy, although he confessed that his final round score of 101 might have been increased but for the fact that several six-feet putts were given because of the time being taken by the foursome!
 

High praise – and respect for the elderly

 
Riath readily admits that is now a million miles away from that ‘work experience’ experience and the time he spent with Gordon Thomas, who gave him so much advice and encouragement that has held him in such good journalistic stead – and when he sees the look on our faces he does soften the blow when he tells me that as a youngster he used to buy the paper at the bakery in Snowdrop Lane and after reading the football scores read my ‘Sports Folios’ and enjoyed them.
 
This gives me a lift when he says his feature-writing articles were influenced by reading them and  this compliment might be a load of flannel, although Gordon tells me that Riath has always shown respect for the elderly!
 

It all started with a broken leg!

 
His first articles came about when he was a teenager playing football for Prendergast Villa, alongside characters like Michael ‘Glenys’ Davies, Dean Flood and Stephen Atyeo, but suffered a broken leg.
“I still went to watch,” Riath told us. “And started to write some reports of the games, which Gordon always published.
 
“Then he showed his trust in me by letting me write the match report for the Senior Cup Final, which I remember saw Hakin United beat Narberth 2-1. I was thrilled to see it in print – although Mr T still hasn’t paid me the £10 he promised me!”







 

‘Expert’ coverage of his speciality – Ocean Yacht Racing!

 
Then it was on to university in Cardiff to gain his degree in journalism and his first chance at national level came when he saw the Volvo Ocean Race wanted a web writer to follow it He had no knowledge of this tough sport but applied, more in hope than anticipation, and was delighted to be given the role, especially when he found that he had to start in Spain and then move to each of the stop-off bases  that included South Africa, Brazil and New York.
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“It was an ultimate challenge for the competitors,” Riath told us, “And included accidents, loss of life and a myriad human interest stories.
 
“I loved writing about so many fascinating characters but learned a lesson when I got a little carried away by writing about Torben Grael and suggesting he needed to look at his tactical skills – and when I bumped into the Brazilian legend who had five Olympic sailing medals, two of them gold, in the hotel, where the fur really flew.
 
“He asked me to tell him all about my vast sailing knowledge and I eventually blustered an apology of sorts because I had never been in any sort of boat, other than the ferry from Neyland to Pembroke Dock – and he won the subsequent race to show what I knew about his sport!”
 
Riath said it was a lesson learned about getting facts right which was to hold him in good stead when he returned to the same race, when it was next held!
 

Premier League for Swansea City – and promotion for Riath too

 
There followed two years with the Press Association Agency, before he had a job as a casual sub-editor with the Daily Mail, which kept him chained to a desk, but then there came a golden chance in 2009 after Swansea City had broken into the Premier League.
 
“To be honest, none of The Mail’s main reporters fancied regular trips down the M4 from London to cover games in Swansea so I was delighted to volunteer. It had the bonus of being able to pop home and see my mother in Haverfordwest!
 
“I was sometimes able to have the pre-match meal with my old Pembrokeshire reporting pals in Gordon Thomas, Fraser Watson and Bill Carne at evening games!







 

Moved on to other sports – and great characters

 
“So, I was disappointed when The Swans were relegated - but by then I had gained access to a range of other sports, like boxing, golf and sailing, where I followed Ben Ainsley in 2012 and then went to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and watched a range of top competitors win gold medals - It was amazing!
 
“That led me into writing feature articles about some world-famous characters (which Bill Carne still maintains I borrowed from his ‘Sports Folio’ days) and since then I have been blessed to widen my scope to events watched by the whole sporting world.”
 
There followed two years with the Press Association Agency, before he had a job as a casual sub-editor with the Daily Mail, which kept him chained to a desk, but then there came a golden chance in 2009 after Swansea City had broken into the Premier League.
 
For Riath, these have included Cristiano Ronaldo in Madrid, Usain Bolt in Boston and Daley Thompson in Berlin. Ronnie O’Sulllivan was a personal favourite. “A very interesting and complicated genius.”
 

A fantastic week  spent in Georgia

 
Ask Riath about sportsmen he would still like to meet and he is quick to include Roger Federer and a one on one interview with Rory McIlroy, whom he has come across at press conferences, including this year’s Masters Championship at Augusta
 
It was the Irishman’s second success and Riath was given the dubious privilege on the following day of joining three other journalists in tackling global the challenges of the Augusta Course.
“I was credited with a score of 101, which The Mail featured the following day and compared it to Rory’s final round but, to be honest, I was being credited with several holes where I still had 6” or 8” putts - because the pro caddies wanted to round things off and go home after a long week!
 
Just recently, Riath has been back in the USA covering the US PGA Championships, which was won by Aaron Rai, the first Englishman to win it since 1919, and Riath’s summer itinerary includes the Football World Cup in the USA (including some work on the US Open Golf), the Wimbledon Tennis fortnight and the Open Golf Championship.








 

Investigative work – and honoured for his skills

 
“Another area has been to move into investigative work, which is challenging because it involves patience and tough subject matter.”
 
His work has certainly paid off because he was inducted in to the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame as far back in 1916, at the same time as Neville Southall, Alan Jones and the late Gary Speed – and has already won the Sports Journalists’ Association’s awards for News Reporter of the Year,  Sports Writer of the Year and  Special Correspondent of the Year.
 
And this year, Riath was on the selection panel for the BBC’s ’Sports Personality of the Year’ Award!






 

And finally . . .

 
Just recently, Riath has been back in the USA covering the US PGA Championships, which was won by Aaron Rai, the first Englishman to win it since 1919, and Riath’s summer itinerary includes the Football World Cup in the USA (including some work on the US Open Golf), the Wimbledon Tennis fortnight and the Open Golf Championship
 
Now that’s what old-time pundits like Gordon and I don’t quite call hard work! But we were delighted to be part of his early involvement (however small!) and wish him every success in his future because Riath Al Samarrai  is an outstanding, modest and self-deprecating sports journalist who deserves all the awards he has already won!