Jaguar Academy of Sport 2011 Rising Stars, Crystal Lane, Kieran Martin and Rhys Walker, have been shortlisted for SportsAid's One-to-Watch Award.
The Para-Cyclist, Surfer and Badminton star are amongst 13 of the brightest sporting prospects to be shortlisted for the SportsAid Award, whom were selected by a panel of experts from BBC Sport, UK Sport, Sport England, the British Olympic Association, the English Institute of Sport and SportsAid.
Since emerging in 1976, SportsAid has helped many of today's sporting heroes when they were starting out, including Jaguar Academy of Sport Ambassador's Sir Chris Hoy and David Roberts.
Over the past two years, SportsAid have been working in partnership with the Jaguar Academy of Sport to deliver the Bursary Fund, an element of the scheme that financially supports emerging British talent. The 85 Rising Stars that have received a Bursary Fund since 2010 were chosen following a rigourous selection process conducted by SportsAid.
Crystal Lane and Rhys Walker, who have been shortlisted for the SportsAid Award, have been supported by the Academy over the past year. The athletes have received a £2,000 Bursary Fund and a Mentoring and Eduction Programme which has helped them to progress greatly in their sporting career.
This year, Para-cyclist Crystal Lane, won the C5 500m time trial at the British National Track Championships, and then continued her success by winning bronze medal at the 2011 Para-Cycling Road World Championships.
Wind-surfer Kieran Martin, won bronze medal at the RYA Volvo Youth National Championships this year and gold medals at the French National Championships, Techno World Championships and European Sailing Federation Youth Games.
Badminton player Rhys Walker, won the boy's singles, boy's doubles and mixed doubles titles in the Under-17 English National Badminton Championships in March and then in September, he won bronze medal at the the Commonwealth Youth Games.
SportsAid's Awards Manager Emmanuel Blanchard said: "If you want to see the next big thing in British sport, this is the shortlist to watch. Previous nominees and winners have gone on to achieve great things in sport and we hope to see some or all of them competing at an Olympic or Paralympic Games one day. For some, this could be as soon as London 2012 but most will already be looking to 2016."
The winner of SportsAid's One-to-Watch Award 2011 will be announced on November 16 at the charity's annual SportsBallTM in London.
Good luck Crystal and Rhys!
