SportsAid is delighted to announce the 10 athletes on the shortlist for this year’s One-to-Watch Award. The annual award, set to be presented at the charity’s SportsBall in London on Thursday 23 November, was launched in 2006 and looks to shine a spotlight on the achievements of Britain’s brightest young sporting prospects.
The One-to-Watch Award has an outstanding ‘Hall of Fame’ with double Olympic bronze medallist Tom Daley winning the inaugural title when he was just 12-years-old. Paralympic champion Hollie Arnold MBE claimed the accolade in 2008 with para-athlete Sally Brown, hockey player Harry Martin, heptathlete Morgan Lake and sprinter Jodie Williams among the previous victors.
Last year, triathlete Alex Yee received the One-to-Watch Award from Sir Mo Farah, a beneficiary of SportsAid support in 1999, after a sensational 12 months which saw him take gold in the ITU World Duathlon Junior Championships and bronze at the Quarteira ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup.
The One-to-Watch Award shortlist for 2017 includes four junior world champions with many European titles and national accolades won by the nominees…
Beth Shriever, 18, from Braintree - cycling
Calvin Tarczy, 17, from Fortis Green - rowing
Caroline Dubois, 16, from Chelsea - boxing
Charlie Smith, 18, from Leighton Buzzard - canoeing
Craig Boardman, 17 from Thruxton - para athletics
Finette Agyapong, 20, from Newham - athletics
Holly Dunford, 18, from Tadworth - rowing
Kate Waugh, 18, from Gateshead - triathlon
Lauren Hemp, 17, from North Walsham - football
Lily May Humphreys, 15, from Sudbury - golf
The 10 athletes have been selected from over 1,000 rising British stars supported by SportsAid across more than 60 different sports during 2017. Each year, athletes are nominated by their sport’s governing body on the strength of their talent and potential, demonstrating why the One-to-Watch Award has gained such a strong reputation for identifying the best up-and-coming prospects. “I was amazed when I found out I had been nominated. It’s a special award," said Shriever. "I look at the list of people who have won it previously and it’s impressive. SportsAid has been so important for me. BMX is an expensive sport and my mum and dad have had to go into their own pockets a lot.
"The support of SportsAid has helped with travelling costs, new equipment….lots of different things.
The judging panel is chaired by Olympic bronze medallist Sarah Winckless MBE. Dame Katherine Grainger, Britain’s most decorated female Olympian, and Natasha Baker MBE, a five-time Paralympic champion, are new additions with Matt Slater, the Press Association’s Chief Sports Reporter, Joslyn Hoyte-Smith of the GB Olympians’ Association, and SportsAid’s Laura Eddie all returning this year.
Skeet shooter Amber Hill was presented with the One-to-Watch Award by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, the Patron of SportsAid, in 2013. Many SportsAid alumni have returned to hand over the award including Sir Matthew Pinsent, Sir Steve Redgrave, Victoria Pendleton CBE, Steve Backley OBE, Sir Ben Ainslie, Christine Ohuruogu MBE and Max Whitlock MBE. Canoeist Smith said: “To be nominated was a massive surprise - I had no idea that it was coming. "I’ve been supported by SportsAid for the last three years now and they have been a massive help. "Canoeing is expensive and their financial help has been invaluable. Their support motivates me to achieve more success without a doubt. It makes training that little bit easier and keeps you going to reach the next level.
Here’s more information on the athletes shortlisted for this year’s One-to-Watch Award….
Beth Shriever (cycling)
18 from Braintree, Essex
SportsAid awards in 2013, 2014 (Prudential) and 2017
• Gold in the junior women’s class at the UCI BMX World Championships 2017
• Five junior titles across the UEC BMX European Cup Series 2017
• Sixth place in the Papendel round of the UCI BMX SX World Cup Series 2017 (senior level)
Calvin Tarczy (rowing)
17 from Fortis Green, London
SportsAid award in 2017 (GLL Sports Foundation)
• Gold in the men’s coxless four at the World Rowing Junior Championships 2017
• Gold in the junior men’s pair at the Munich International DRV Junior Regatta 2017
• Gold in the junior men’s eight at the Munich International DRV Junior Regatta 2017
Caroline Dubois (boxing)
16 from Chelsea, London
SportsAid award in 2017 (Backing The Best programme)
• Gold in the 60kg category at the EUBC European Women’s Youth and Junior Championships 2017
• Gold in the 60kg category at the GB Youth and Junior Three Nations Championships 2017
• Gold in the 57kg category at the EUBC European Women’s Youth and Junior Championships 2016
Charlie Smith (canoeing)
18 from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
SportsAid awards in 2015, 2016 and 2017 (Nottingham Building Society)
• Silver in the K1 Men’s Juniors at the ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships 2017
• Silver in the K1 Men’s Juniors at the ECA Canoe Marathon European Championships 2017
• Seventh place in the K1 Men’s Juniors 1000m at the ICF Canoe Sprint Junior and Under-23s World Championships 2017
Craig Boardman (para athletics)
17 from Thruxton, Hampshire
SportsAid award in 2017 (Realbuzz)
• Gold in the T34 100m at the World Junior Para Athletics Championships 2017
• Gold in the T34 200m at the World Junior Para Athletics Championships 2017
• Gold in the T34 400m at the World Junior Para Athletics Championships 2017
Finette Agyapong (athletics)
20 from Newham, London
SportsAid awards in 2015 (Get Living London) and 2017 (Caesars Entertainment)
• Gold in the 200m at the European Athletics Under-23s Championships 2017
• Fifth place in the 200m at the Monaco meeting of the IAAF Diamond League 2017 (senior level)
• Selected to represent Team England in the 4x400m at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018
Holly Dunford (rowing)
18 from Tadworth, Surrey
SportsAid award in 2017 (GLL Sports Foundation)
• Gold in the women’s double at the World Rowing Junior Championships 2017
• Set new British record for junior women on the ergometer (Under-18s level)
• Three first place finishes in the single sculls at the GB Rowing Team Junior trials
Kate Waugh (triathlon)
18 from Gateshead, Tyne and Wear
SportsAid awards in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 (myLotto24)
• Gold in the junior women’s race at the ETU Triathlon European Championships 2017
• Silver in the junior women’s race at the ITU World Triathlon Championships 2017
• Gold in the junior women’s race at the British Duathlon Championships 2017
Lauren Hemp (football)
17 from North Walsham, Norfolk
SportsAid awards in 2016 (ICAP) and 2017
• First-team striker for Bristol City Women FC in the Women’s Super League 1
• Captained England Under-17s at the UEFA European Championships 2017
• Winner of the Vauxhall England Young Player of the Year award 2017
Lily May Humphreys (golf)
15 from Sudbury, Suffolk
SportsAid awards in 2017 (Suffolk SportsAid Foundation)
• Won the EGA European Young Masters Championships 2017
• Won the English Women’s Amateur Championships 2017 (senior level)
• Won the Girls British Open Amateur Championships (Under-18s) and the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters (Under-18s)
Sportsbeat 2017