SportsAid announces annual One-to-Watch Award shortlist for 2024

Last year, track sensation Yemi Mary John was presented with the One-to-Watch Award by 400 metres legend Christine Ohuruogu MBE after an outstanding season which saw her claim gold in the 400m at the European Athletics Under-23s Championships and two senior relay medals at the World Athletics Championships. During the summer, Yemi Mary, who also featured in the top 10 in 2022, secured a bronze medal in the 4x400m Women’s Relay at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

“It's a really good feeling and it's great to have had this season's achievements recognised!” said Yemi Mary shortly after being presented with the Award in December 2023. “They caught me off-guard with my Award which was a lovely surprise. Christine has done amazing things, not only in the sport as a whole but in the 400 specifically, so just to have her recognise me and be able to be in a room with such great and successful people is exciting. I appreciated her being there for it.” 

The One-to-Watch Award shortlist for this year includes Olympic, world and European medallists in their respective sports either at senior or age-group level….

• Dan McLellan, 14, from Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire (Powerchair Football)
• Erin Boothman, 17, from Netherlee, Glasgow (Cycling)
• Irene Oboavwoduo, 16, from West Gorton, Manchester (Basketball)
• Isabella Rinaldi, 15, from Mitcham, Surrey (Climbing)
• Jack Long, 20, from Bristol, Gloucestershire (Wheelchair Basketball)
• Lily Laughton, 20, from Chippenham, Wiltshire (Equestrian)
• Ruby White, 17, from Sturminster Newton, Dorset (Boxing)
• Samuel Reardon, 21, from Beckenham, Kent (Athletics)
• Skye Fisher-Eames, 15, from Sharpenhoe, Bedfordshire (Diving)
• Summer Shaw, 20, from Camberley, Surrey (Judo)

The 10 athletes have been selected from around 1,000 rising British stars, supported by SportsAid, across more than 60 different sports during 2024. 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.

Here’s more information on the athletes shortlisted for this year’s One-to-Watch Award....

Dan McLellan 
Powerchair Football
14, from Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire

• Silver at the FIPFA Powerchair World Cup when representing England senior team 
• Youngest-ever player to represent England in a major tournament at the age of 14
• Selected and scored for England Development squad in a Home Nations tournament    

Erin Boothman
Cycling 
17, from Netherlee, Glasgow

• Gold in the Team Pursuit at the UCI World Junior Track Cycling Championships
• Gold in the Madison at the UCI World Junior Track Cycling Championships
• Fifth in the Individual Pursuit at the UCI World Junior Track Cycling Championships

Irene Oboavwoduo 
Basketball
16, from West Gorton, Manchester

• Gold at the Four Nations tournament (Under-16s) and won MVP Award representing England
• Bronze at the FIBA Youth EuroBasket tournament (Under-16s) representing Great Britain
• Selected in the top five Under-17s in the country at the inaugural Queens of the Court UK    

Isabella Rinaldi
Climbing
15, from Mitcham, Surrey

• Gold in the Lead event (Under-16s) at the IFSC Youth European Cup (Dornbirn)
• Gold in the Lead event (Under-16s) at the IFSC Youth European Cup (Zilina)    
• Sixth in the Lead event (Under-16s) at the IFSC Youth World Championships

Jack Long
Wheelchair Basketball
20, from Bristol, Gloucestershire

• Gold at the IWBF Under-23s European Championships representing Great Britain 
• Won back-to-back BUCS titles with the University of Worcester (captain in 2024) 
• Gold at the Kitakyushu Champions Cup representing Great Britain 

Lily Laughton 
Equestrian
20, from Chippenham, Wiltshire

• Gold in the Young Rider Team Test class at the FEI CDIY Le Mans with Skovborgs Romadinov 
• Bronze in the Team event at the FEI Dressage European Championships for Young Riders 
• Sixth in the Young Rider Freestyle to Music class at the FEI CDIY Aachan with Hulana T

Ruby White
Boxing
17, from Sturminster Newton, Dorset

• Gold in the -48kg category at the World Boxing Championships (Under-19s) 
• Gold in the -48kg category at the EUBC Youth European Boxing Championships
• Gold in the -48kg category at EUBC Junior European Championships in 2022 and 2023

Samuel Reardon
Athletics
21, from Beckenham, Kent

• Bronze in the 4x400m Men’s Relay at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games 
• Bronze in the 4x400m Mixed Relay at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games 
• Won the 400m at the London Diamond League in Olympic Qualifying Standard (44.70) 

Skye Fisher-Eames 
Diving
15, from Sharpenhoe, Bedfordshire

• Gold in Group B (14-15yrs) Platform at the European Aquatics Junior Diving Championships 
• Gold in Group B (14-15yrs) Platform (1m) at the British Elite Junior Diving Championships 
• Gold in Group B (14-15yrs) Platform (3m) at the British Elite Junior Diving Championships 

Summer Shaw
Judo
20, from Camberley, Surrey

• Gold in the -48kg category at the Berlin Junior European Cup 
• Gold in the -48kg category at the Prague Junior European Cup 
• Seventh in the -48kg category at the World Judo Junior Championships 
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Here’s the list of the previous One-to-Watch Award winners since the charity launched the accolade in 2006....

2006 – Tom Daley (diving)
2007 – Andrew Brown (sailing)
2008 – Hollie Arnold (para athletics)
2009 – Jodie Williams (athletics)
2010 – Harry Martin (hockey)
2011 – Sally Brown (para athletics)
2012 – Courtney Tulloch (gymnastics)
2013 – Amber Hill (shooting)
2014 – Morgan Lake (athletics)
2015 – Emma Wilson (sailing)
2016 – Alex Yee (triathlon)
2017 – Holly Dunford (rowing)
2018 – Caroline Dubois (boxing)
2019 – Ellie Challis (para swimming) 
2022 – Mark Swan (powerlifting) 
2023 – Yemi Mary John (athletics) 

Here’s the criteria for the One-to-Watch Award....

• Must be recommended by their sport’s national governing body
• Must be one of the 1,000+ British athletes supported by SportsAid this year
• Excellence in results at the international level
• Excellence in results at the domestic level
• British/European/world rankings
• Membership of national squads/teams
• Age group status, standing and years left
• Commitment, dedication, promise (comments received from their sport’s NGB)
• Likelihood to improve in following years – performance and ranking

Here’s the judging panel for the One-to-Watch Award....

• Chaired by Sarah Winckless MBE (Olympic bronze medallist in rowing and former Chef De Mission for Commonwealth Games England)
• Ama Agbeze MBE (Commonwealth Games gold medallist in netball and trustee of SportsAid)
• Nick Hope (Award-winning Olympic and Paralympic broadcaster) 
• Hannibal Morris (Head of England Athlete Development Pathways, Sport England)  
• Emmanuel Oyinbo-Coker (Commonwealth Games gold medallist in para athletics)
• Adam Murphy (National Awards Manager, SportsAid)
• Alice Radford (Head of Policy and Culture, SportsAid) 
• Jo Benham (Backing The Best Programme Manager, SportsAid) 
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PHOTO ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Dan McLellan - The FA
Erin Boothman - SWPix (via British Cycling)
Irene Oboavwoduo - fiba.basketball (via Basketball England)
Isabella Rinaldi - Richard Aspland (via British Mountaineering Council)
Jack Long - British Wheelchair Basketball
Lily Laughton - British Dressage
Ruby White - USA Boxing (via England Boxing)
Samuel Reardon - Getty Images (via British Athletics)
Skye Fisher-Eames - European Aquatics (via Aquatics GB)
Summer Shaw - Gabi Juan (via British Judo)
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NOTES TO EDITORS

SportsAid’s mission is to encourage, enable and empower the next generation of British athletes to achieve their ambitions in sport and life! Over 1,000 talented young sports stars - the vast majority aged 12 to 18 - are nominated to SportsAid each year to receive financial support and a range of personal development opportunities. These athletes are the country’s brightest prospects having been selected and put forward to the charity by the national governing bodies of more than 60 sports.

The support from SportsAid acts as a real motivational boost as it is often the first recognition they are given outside of their support network. Most of the athletes also rely heavily on their parents as they have no other funding. The typical value of a SportsAid award is £1,000 and the charity works hard every year to try and ensure each nominated athlete is given the support they deserve. This includes workshop sessions, both online and in-person, where athletes are offered mentoring by Olympians and Paralympians, as well as gaining advice from industry experts on mental wellbeing, practical nutrition, restful sleep and telling your story through the media to help with raising their profile. 

Since 1976, SportsAid has supported tens of thousands of athletes by distributing over £50 million in awards. The charity's extensive alumni stretches across the generations with Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Sir Mo Farah, Baroness Grey-Thompson, Dame Sarah Storey, Sir Steve Redgrave, Dame Katherine Grainger, Daley Thompson CBE, Dame Denise Lewis, Dame Laura Kenny, Ellie Simmonds OBE, Adam Peaty OBE, Natasha Baker OBE and Tom Daley OBE all stand-out names. 

SportsAid’s impressive track record was highlighted at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games where the charity’s alumni won 154 medals. This included 53 of Team GB’s 65 medals (12 gold, 16 silver, 25 bronze) and 101 of ParalympicsGB’s 124 medals (38 gold, 34 silver and 29 bronze). SportsAid beneficiaries also recently had huge success at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games where they won 186 medals – 57 gold, 59 silver and 70 bronze – across 20 sports. There were 474 recipients of the charity’s support representing the home nations in the West Midlands. 

SportsAid is incredibly proud to have Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales as the charity’s Patron. Her Royal Highness has met many talented young athletes helped by the charity, as well as Olympians and Paralympians who were previous beneficiaries, at training days, performance workshops and fundraising events. Her Royal Highness has been the charity’s Patron since 2013. 

SportsAid also manages the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) and Backing The Best (BTB) programme on behalf of Sport England. TASS helps athletes (16-plus) balance sport with the rest of their lives, while BTB supports the most financially challenged young sports stars. In addition, the charity has recently been given responsibility to manage and oversee the Diploma in Sporting Excellence (known as DiSE). DiSE supports talented young athletes to combine sport and education (academic or vocational) so they have the skills, knowledge and qualifications to pursue a career in high-level sport alongside separate paid employment in the future. 

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER - (#1111612)
WEBSITE - www.sportsaid.org.uk