Hursey and Bowen in contention for BBC award
TWELVE-YEAR-OLD table tennis star Anna Hursey and Coral Welsh Grand National-winning jockey James Bowen are two of 10 nominees shortlisted for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.
They are in the running for an award that has gone to Wayne Rooney, Andy Murray and Tom Daley in the past.
The prize goes to the man or woman who the panel considers “the outstanding young sportsperson aged 17 or under on January 1, 2018.”
Cardiff’s Hursey is the youngest athlete ever to compete at the Commonwealth Games after taking part on the Gold Coast in Australia last April. The 12-year-old prospect won twice in the doubles and once in the singles.
Hursey, who has been competing since she was five and spent time training in China, is the British No 1 at Under-18 level, as well as being the European number one for her age and in the top 20 of the world’s Under-15 rankings.
Bowen, the champion conditional jockey had a memorable 2017-18 season, riding 58 winners. He won the Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow on Raz De Maree at the age of just 16.
Bowen now 17, who is based with Nicky Henderson, said: “It’s exciting news, if I can do as well as some of those who’ve won this in the past I’ll be happy. I’ve had plenty of people supporting me, like my dad [trainer Peter Bowen] and Mr Henderson and all the other trainers that have given me rides and contributed to my great season.”
The shortlist also includes the likes of Fulham footballer Ryan Sessegnon, Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning gymnast Georgia-Mae Fenton and Wimbledon Boys’ singles finalist Jack Draper.
The winner will be announced at the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards on October 21.