Paralympian Ellie Challis shortlisted for BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year

Paralympic swimmer Ellie Challis has been named on the shortlist for this year’s BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.

The Manchester NPC swimmer is one of three contenders, alongside Borussia Dortmund and England footballer, Jude Bellingham, and skateboarder, Sky Brown.

At just 17-years-old, Challis claimed a silver medal in the S3 50m Backstroke at her debut Paralympic Games this summer.

She was Paralympic GB’s youngest medallist at Tokyo 2020 – only two years after making her international debut at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships in London.

The youngster swam a lifetime best and lowered her previous British record to finish in 55.11 seconds and clinch the silver medal.

Challis also went on to set a new SB2 50m Breaststroke Paralympic record later in the competition but was swimming up a classification in the SB3 race, resulting in her just missing out on a place in the final.

The teenager is not the only aquatic athlete to be recognised for their Olympic success in Tokyo, with Tom Daley and Adam Peaty also shortlisted for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

Additionally, last year’s winner of the Young Sports Personality of the Year was diver, Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix.

The winner will be announced during the BBC Sports Personality of the Year show on Sunday 19 December.