China's top snooker player Ding Junhui (file photo)

China's top snooker player Ding Junhui has been awarded with the 'Outstanding Achievement in Sports' award in London, honoring Asian excellence. The 30-year-old is regarded as the best player from the continent to ever wield a cue and has won 12 titles in his career.

He made the final of the World Championship in 2016, but lost to world number one Mark Selby, who also beat Ding in the semi-finals of this year's tournament.

The Jiangsu Province native was happy to be honored and talked about his pride in being friends with the most popular player in the game, Ronnie O'Sullivan.