Daley wins Young Sports Personality

10th December 2007

Promising diver Thomas Daley has been crowned 2007 BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year at a glittering live television awards.

12-year old Thomas, the current British under-18 champion in highboard and springboard, came top ahead of former Beckwith Scholar Paul Drinkhall and talented Glamorgan cricketer James Harris, who were among the shortlist of three finalists for the 2007 Award.

The Youth Sport Trust is proud to continue its support of the prestigious BBC Award, which recognises the cream of Britain’s outstanding young sporting talent.

A Young Sports Personality judging panel, chaired by John Inverdale and including Jake Humphrey from CBBC’s Sportsround as well as representatives from the Youth Sport Trust, Blue Peter, plus former winner Amy Spencer met to select the top three from its original shortlist of ten.

The winner was announced live on BBC1 on Sunday evening at the NEC in Birmingham.

Tom thanked the judges, his coach and family before adding: "My next goal is to get to the 2008 Olympics and then to win gold at London in 2012 and make my country proud."

The celebration formed part of the BBC’s annual Sports Personality of the Year Award, a star-studded television broadcast in front of the world’s media.

Andy Martin, the Youth Sport Trust’s Head of Olympic and Paralympic Development, was among the judging panel for the Young Sports Personality Award.

He said: “The Youth Sport Trust is committed to playing an integral part in supporting our young athletes and help turn them into champions of the future and we are delighted to continue supporting the BBC’s Young Sports Personality of the Year Award.”

To find out loads more about this year’s ten finalists and how they were selected visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/switch/yspoty/