BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

West Indies batsman Kirk Edwards has been crowned Barbados' Sports Personality for 2011.

The 27-year-old, who has made a major impact on the international scene since making his debut last year, was honoured at the National Sports Awards here last Saturday night.

He also walked away with the Senior Outstanding Male Sportsperson award at the ceremony attended by Sports Minister Stephen Lashley and the International Olympic Committee's Austin Sealy.

"It's a great feeling to be recognised for my achievements. I've been working hard over the last couple of years and last year things worked really well for me," Edwards told the Daily Nation newspaper.

"I wouldn't really say I was surprised, because [winning the award] was never in my thoughts. but when I heard about it, I said I did well enough to win this award."

Edwards, a top-order batsman, accumulated 595 runs in six Tests last year at an average of 54, to emerge as one of the Caribbean side's leading batsmen.

He stroked a century on Test debut in Dominica last July, and has since added another, 121 against Bangladesh in Dhaka, last October.

"I was always around, but I guess it was just a lack of exposure and, over the last couple of years, my achievements have been downplayed. But, whatever the case may be, I will continue to represent to the best of my abilities," he continued.

Sprinter Shakera Reece, meanwhile, captured the Senior Outstanding Female Sportsperson and the Minister's Award.

Reece took bronze at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, last October.