Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

The three contenders for the prestigious Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Young Sports Personality of the Year 2010 award are announced today as: Tom Daley, Zoe Smith and Jodie Williams.

The trio have been selected from an original shortlist of 10 by chairman of the judging panel, John Inverdale, Jake Humphrey (Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Sport), Helen Skelton (Blue Peter presenter), Ore Oduba (Newsround/Sportsround presenter), Amy Spencer and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (former YSPOTY winners), two representatives from Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Sports Personality of the Year, and two representatives from the Youth Sport Trust.

The original 10 were Conor Coady, Tom Daley, Jade Jones, Dan Lucker, Sam Oldham, Liam Pitchford, Laura Robson, Emma Saunders, Zoe Smith and Jodie Williams.

The 2009 Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Young Sports Personality of the Year, Tom Daley, is bidding for a hat-trick, having also previously won the title in 2007. This year the 16-year-old Devon diver became the second youngest double Commonwealth Champion ever in Delhi, winning the 10m individual competition and 10m synchro. Daley also defeated the Olympic Champion, Matt Mitcham, in a closely fought individual contest, producing a set of perfect 10s from the judges in the third round.

Seventeen-year-old sprinter Jodie Williams is going for gold this year after narrowly missing out on the prestigious title to Daley in 2009. Unbeaten in the whole of her 100m sprinting career she won gold in the 100m and silver in the 200m at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada. Record breaking Williams continued her good form setting a new European 200m youth record of 22.79 seconds – the second fastest time ever for an under-17 girl, as well as setting a British under-20 110m record of 11.24 seconds.

Young weightlifter Zoe Smith's bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games landed her in the record books as she became the youngest ever Commonwealth weightlifting medallist as well as England's first ever female Commonwealth weightlifting medallist. Showing signs of a promising career, 16-year-old Smith set a new 58kg British under-23 snatch record of 85kg, her 317th British record in total across three bodyweight categories since 2007.

The award is made to the outstanding young sportsperson of the year, who is aged 16 or under on 1 January 2010, selected from nominations made to the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and by sports governing bodies via the Youth Sport Trust. Previous winners include Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott and Andy Murray.

The winner will be announced live at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Sports Personality of the Year show taking place this year at Birmingham's LG Arena on Sunday 19 December. The show will be presented by Sue Barker, Gary Lineker and Jake Humphrey.

In addition to Young Sports Personality of the Year there will also be awards for:

• Sports Personality of the Year
• Team of the Year
• Coach of the Year
• Overseas Sports Personality of the Year
• Lifetime Achievement
• Helen Rollason Award
• Sports Unsung Hero

For voting criteria on all the awards, further information and updates please visit the .

Notes to Editors

Young Sports Personality of the Year will be awarded to the outstanding young sportsperson aged 16 or under on 1 January 2010, selected from nominations made to the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and by sports governing bodies via the Youth Sport Trust.

Previous winners:

2001 Amy Spencer
2002 Wayne Rooney
2003 Kate Haywood
2004 Andy Murray
2005 Harry Aikines-Aryeetey
2006 Theo Walcott
2007 Tom Daley
2008 Eleanor Simmonds
2009 Tom Daley

People are eligible to win the award if they are the right age AND they are British, OR if they meet all three of the following criteria: - They play a significant amount of their sport in the UK - Their core achievements that year were achieved in the UK, and not with a national team - They are residents in the UK

The closing date for nominations was Monday 15 November 2010.

The top three will be invited to the live event and the other seven contenders will be notified out of courtesy that they have not made the final shortlist.

The winner will be announced live on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Sports Personality of the Year, on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One on Sunday 19 December 2010. The show will also be live on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 5 Live and the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Sport website.

The Youth Sport Trust is a charity established in 1994 to build a brighter future for young people through PE and sport. Their mission is to improve both the quantity and quality of PE in schools and to inspire and engage all young people in sporting activity – whether it be to lead, coach, compete, play or volunteer.

LW