Gymnast Ellie Downie thrilled with recognition ahead of Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Awards
Tuesday 24 October 2017 11:44, UK
Sunday Times Young Sportswoman of the Year contender Ellie Downie knows she must keep delivering to stand any chance of landing awards.
Teenage artistic gymnastics sensation Downie has been shortlisted for the prestigious accolade for the second time in three years after an epic 12 months in the sport.
Downie made history in 2015, winning European all-around bronze and becoming the first British gymnast to medal in the event at a major championships. Later that year, she helped Great Britain win their first-ever World Artistic Gymnastics Championships medal.
But the serial record-breaker took it to another level in 2017, winning European all-around gold, silver - both on the vault and on the floor - and bars bronze at this year's Championships in Romania.
"It's always an honour to have my achievements recognised and be nominated for awards. I don't take them for granted at all," Downie told Sky Sports.
"There are so many good young sportspeople out there at the moment and to have my achievements recognised is amazing.
"I enjoy the experience of just going to awards nights and events, whether I win or not. You get to meet lots of different people, especially sporting people, and it's interesting to hear how they train and what they do on a daily basis.
"You don't get to the awards without getting the medals in the sport but it's always a nice reward for getting your medals.
"It's been a pretty good year for me. Winning my European all-around title was definitely the best thing, and making all four finals was the icing on top of the cake after that.
"I definitely wasn't expecting that going into it, I just wanted to do as well I had done in the previous year, which was bronze in the all-around. To come away with three extra medals - I couldn't have even thought of that."
Downie, 18, is stepping up her recovery from ankle surgery, which forced her to miss this month's World Championships in Montreal.
"Times like this when I'm injured are hard but I think you have to look at how far you've come," the Nottingham gymnast said.
"It's my life now, I'm a full-time gymnast and I put my heart and soul into it all the time. We are in the gym for a minimum of six hours a day most of the time [when fit] and it's just go, go, go all the time."
Downie has her sights set on both the European and World Artistic Gymnastic Championships next year but there is the small matter of a major international competition she has yet to compete in.
"The Commonwealth Games is first [in 2018]. It'll be my first Commonwealths if I get selected," she said.
"Last time the team won the competition, so we're going in as team champions. We're obviously looking to defend that title and then hopefully I can make the all-around final and some other finals as well."
You can watch coverage of the Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Awards in association with Vitality live from 8pm on Thursday on Sky Sports Mix, Sky Sports Arena and Sky Sports Main Event.
