Gold medallist Harry invited to SPOTY

South Devon's Youth Olympic Games medallist Harry Birchill will be one of the guests at next month's BBC Sports Personality Of The Year awards night.

The 17-year-old cycle racer from Newton Abbot this week accepted an invitation to attend the UK's most prestigious sports awards evening, which will be held in front of a 12,000-strong audience at Birmingham's Genting Arena and millions on TV on Sunday, December 16.

It is the latest honour for talented teenager Birchill, only a month after his brilliant performance hauled him and Great Britain teammate Sean Flynn from Scotland from fifth place to the bronze medal in the Combined Cycling competition at the Youth Games in Buenos Aires.

If the event had been an individual one Birchill, who rides for Kingsteignton's Mid-Devon CC and Exeter's Southforkracing team, would have won the gold medal, because he amassed more points than anyone else over the five road and cross-country disciplines.

His breakaway victory in the final Criterium (Closed Circuit) race clinched GB's place on the podium behind Kazakhstan and Luxembourg.

Former South Dartmoor College pupil Birchill, who won the UK Junior Mountainbike Cross-Country Championship last year, has taken a short break from competition after returning from Argentina.

He is due to return at a cycle-cross meeting this weekend before tackling the next National Trophy Series event in York on November 24/25.

He hopes to clinch selection for the GB team heading for a training camp and international meeting in Belgium early next month.