Youth Olympic boxing champion Caroline Dubois' incredible 2018 continued by scooping the much coveted SportsAid One-to-Watch award at the charity’s annual SportsBall celebration.
The 17-year-old was presented with the prize, previously won by the likes of Tom Daley and Morgan Lake, by Olympic gold medallist Greg Rutherford after a sensational year which saw Dubois win women’s -60kg gold at the Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games, the AIBA Youth World Championships and the EUBC European Youth Continental Championships.
The Chelsea boxer edged out world junior rowing champion Calvin Tarczy, 18, and European under-18 high jump champion Dominic Ogbechie, 16, to the award.
Dubois, who boasts an unbeaten record from 35 fights, was also nominated for the prize in 2017 and she was delighted to receive recognition for her incredible achievements this year as she became the first boxer to win the award
"It’s amazing to be named the winner of SportsAid’s One-to-Watch award – it just shows that all the hard work and effort I’ve been putting in is finally paying off,” she said.
"It’s so amazing and exciting to get the recognition and the appreciation and I’m really, really grateful for it. It means a lot.
"I knew that I had tough opposition and I don’t really know what I was thinking when I was announced as the winner.
“I’m really happy and excited. I’ve had a very hard and busy year. I’ve had three major tournaments and so I’ve been competing and training a lot.
“It’s incredible to see myself up alongside the likes of Tom Daley and other great athletes.”
Since its launch in 2006, the One-to-Watch award has played a pivotal role in helping to reward outstanding British talent, with previous winners amassing a stunning 38 senior medals from Olympic and Paralympic Games, World and European Championships, as well as Commonwealth Games.
SportsAid’s alumnus includes the likes of Olympic champion Rutherford, and the long jump sensation secured funding from the charity as a 17-year-old.
Rutherford is one of countless success stories supported by the charity and the now retired Olympic, world, European and Commonwealth champion was thrilled to present the award to Dubois.
“Having the honour of handing out SportsAid’s One-to-Watch Award is a big deal,” said Rutherford.
“To see these genuine stars of the future is fantastic. We’ve [the country] got incredible young athletes coming through and Caroline is a real superstar.
“There are hundreds and hundreds of these youngsters who have hopefully been inspired by the past ten years of British sport.
“We’re now seeing things like the London Olympics coming to fruition, where these youngsters actually remember those moments and wanted to be part of it and we get to honour them.
“I’m thrilled to be involved with it and looking forward to next year. I’ve only just retired and now I’m doing this side of things – I still feel like I’m the athlete and it’s a lovely, lovely honour.”
Sportsbeat 2018