Holly Dunford wins prestigious SportsAid award

Ellie Simmonds presented the 2017 One-to-Watch award to Holly Dunford (pic: Roberto Payne, Sportsbeat)

World junior rowing champion Holly Dunford has landed SportsAid's 2017 One-to-Watch accolade.

Dunford made the 10-strong One-to-Watch shortlist - announced earlier this month - after earning selection from a pool of over 1,000 rising British stars supported by SportsAid across more than 60 different sports.

The Surrey 18-year-old edged BMX racer Beth Shriever and para-athlete Craig Boardman to the award. Dunford became Molesey Boat Club's first ever world junior champion when she won gold alongside fellow SportsAid beneficiary Zoe Adamson in the women's double in August.

Double Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah presented triathlete Alex Yee with the One-to-Watch Award at SportsAid's 2016 SportsBall

She has also set two new British junior records this year.

"I wasn't really expecting it. It feels really good [to win this award]," Dunford said.

"This is just the icing on the cake, all my achievements in rowing this year have led to this and it's great to be recognised.

"SportsAid's help has been great, paying for petrol, kit, lots of things - I wouldn't have been where I am this year without them."

Beth Shriever (L) and Craig Boardman (R) made the One-to-Watch final three (pic: Roberto Payne, Sportsbeat)

Dunford was presented with the award by five-time Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds at the charity's annual SportsBall.

Simmonds received SportsAid support in 2007 before announcing herself to the world a year later, aged just 13, by winning two gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.

She said: "Seeing the top three, who are all incredible at their sport, and to be able to present the award to Holly just makes it a great night.

"To be recognised by someone like SportsAid is amazing. They are so important and so helpful - they were a huge help to me personally.

SportsAid's chief executive Tim Lawler with the charity's patron HRH Duchess of Cambridge

"The award recognises not just Holly, but the whole support group around her, her family, her friends and it's a good confidence booster for the future."

Six previous recipients of the One-to-Watch Award - Tom Daley, Hollie Arnold, Jodie Williams, Harry Martin, Amber Hill and Morgan Lake - represented Great Britain in Rio last summer.

A total of 26 Olympic and Paralympic medals have been won across all the nominees who have been put forward for the award since it was launched back in 2006.