University of Nottingham sport scholar and canoe sprint athlete Ieuan James will find out tonight if he’s made the top three of one of the UK’s top sporting awards.
Ieuan is one of ten nominees for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year Award, an accolade that recognises the rising starts of British sport.
Shortlisted by an expert panel, he could follow in the footsteps of previous winners such as global stars Andy Murray, Wayne Rooney and Tom Daley.
Originally from Edinburgh, the first year Mathematics student is currently part of the University of Nottingham’s performance canoe programme and one of fifteen scholarship athletes in the squad. Ieuan joins a prestigious programme here at Nottingham, that has counts Olympic gold medallists Tim Brabants, Etienne Stott and Tim Baillie as part of its alumni community.
The 18-year-old’s achievements include winning gold at the K1 200m Junior and U23 World Championships – the first Briton to complete the double ever and the first to win a canoe sprint world title in over 20 years. A rising star in the world of canoe sprint – he will certainly be one to watch across this season’s competitions.
Ieuan told us;
“I’m really excited to be part of the shortlist for Young Sports Personality of the Year especially when you look at the previous winners!”
“My ultimate ambition is to be Olympic champion and I’m prepared to put in all the hard work I can to make my dream come true.”
Ieuan is up against tough competition from fellow nominees including European champion and Nottingham local, gymnast Ellie Downie and Welsh football international Ben Woodburn.
The top three nominees will be announced on Blue Peter this evening (CBBC, 7.30pm) and the winner revealed at the Sports Personality Show from Liverpool on BBC One on 17 December.
View details of the full shortlist here.
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For more information on Performance Canoe at the University of Nottingham visit www.nottingham.ac.uk/sport/performancecanoe or contact Alex Perry, Assistant Director of Sport, at alexander.perry@nottingham.ac.uk.
Posted on Thursday 7th December 2017