MOUNTAIN BIKING

Rising mountain bike star Charlie Aldridge is among 10 hopefuls shortlisted for the BBC’s Young Sports Personality of the Year award.

The recognition comes off the back of the 18-year-old from Crieff enjoying a memorable year during which he became the first British athlete to claim the junior men’s cross-country world champion title, at an event held in Mont-SainteAnne, Canada.

The former Morrison’s Academy pupil finished 11 seconds ahead of his nearest rival Luca Martin of France, who claimed the silver medal.

Earlier this year, in May, Charlie also became the first British male to win a UCI Mountain Bike Junior Series event on foreign soil, claiming four wins in total.

All this came despite the Stirling Mountain Bike Club member having to recover from a shoulder operation he underwent this time last year.

Charlie is up against talented rugby league player Caitlin Beevers, skateboarder Sky Brown, boxer Caroline Dubois, golfer Josh Hill, gymnast Bethany Paull, martial artist Aaliyah Powell, who specialises in taekwondo, kayaker Ottillie Robinson-Shaw and para-swimmers Tony Shaw and Maisie Summers-Newton.

The winner, who will attend BBC Sports Personality of the Year in Aberdeen on December 15, will be announced on Sunday this week.

Badminton Championships will be held on Saturday, December 14.

North Inch Community Campus will host the inaugural tournament with entries now being accepted from players across the country.

Perth and Kinross Disability Sport has teamed up with Glenearn Badminton Club, Badminton Scotland and Scottish Disability Sport to make the event possible.

There will be four sections to the competition including a wheelchair section, players with an ambulant physical disability, players with a learning disability and short stature players.

Graeme Doig, branch coordinator at Perth and Kinross Disability Sport, said: “We are delighted to work with local and