BBC Young Sports Personality 2008

Wednesday, 12 November 2008
 
The Youth Sport Trust is proud to continue its support of the prestigious BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year Award, which recognises Britain’s outstanding young sporting talent.

We have helped to shortlist ten finalists for this year’s BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year with the Award being announced live on BBC1 on the evening of 14 December 2008 from the Liverpool Echo Arena.

The judging panel features BBC presenters John Inverdale and Jake Humphrey, previous Young Sport Personalities Winners, Kate Haywood (2003) and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (2005), as well as two representatives from the Youth Sport Trust – our Director of Policy and Communications Mark Atkinson and Head of Olympic and Paralympic Development, Andy Martin.

The finalists for the BBC’s Young Sports Personality of the Year Award, in alphabetical order, are:

Tom Brady – canoe slalom
Tom Daley – diving
Aaron Cook – taekwondo
Sam Harrison – cycling
James Peters – sailing
Scott Redding – motorsport
Laura Robson – tennis
Eleanor Simmonds – disability swimming
Elizabeth Simmonds – swimming
Shaunna Thompson – athletics (sprinter)

Six of the shortlisted nominees have worked with the Youth Sport Trust. Shaunna Thompson won the 200m sprint at this year’s UK School Games in record time and Eleanor Simmonds won gold in the 2006 UK School Games 100m disability breaststroke. Both Tom Brady and James Peters attended our National Talent Orientation Camp in 2007. Young diving sensation Tom Daley is currently one of our I eXcel athletes, which helps high performers still at school excel in their sport and study and Elisabeth Simmonds is a former Believe to Achieve scholar.

Ali Oliver, Youth Sport Trust’s Sport Director, said:

"As ever, the shortlist features some of the country’s most outstanding young sports men and women. Each one deserves massive credit for getting this far and it will be fascinating to see who actually takes the top prize in a few weeks time. Six of the ten young people that have been shortlisted have been involved in programmes and initiatives run by the Youth Sport Trust and we're delighted to be working with the National Governing Bodies of Sport to support young athletes and help turn them into champions of the future. It's a privilege for the Youth Sport Trust to support the BBC’s Young Sports Personality of the Year Award."
 
Click here to find out loads more about this year’s ten finalists and how they were selected.