She may have ended her junior career on a high with gold at this year’s UCI BMX World Championships but 2017 could yet get even better for Braintree’s Beth Shriever.

The 18-year-old has been shortlisted for SportsAid’s prestigious One-to-Watch Award, which was launched in 2006 with double Olympic medallist and current diving world champion Tom Daley the inaugural winner at just 12 years old.

The recognition comes after she impressed on two wheels this year, winning gold at the World Championships as well as five junior titles across the UEC BMX European Cup Series.

In addition to Daley, five of the previous 11 recipients of the award represented Great Britain across the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016.

Shriever is now in line to join such illustrious company as one of ten nominees selected from over 1,000 rising British stars supported by SportsAid across more than 60 different sports.

Dame Katherine Grainger, Britain’s most decorated female Olympian, and five-time Paralympic champion Natasha Baker are among the panel of judges for the award.  

The winner will be presented at the charity’s annual SportsBall on November 23 and Shriever couldn’t be more shocked to see her name on the shortlist.

“I was amazed when I found out I had been nominated, it’s a special award. I look at the list of people who had won it previously and it’s impressive,” said the Helena Romanes Sixth Form student.

“SportsAid has been so important for me. BMX is an expensive sport and my mum and dad have had to go into their own pockets a lot.

“The support of SportsAid has helped with travelling costs, new equipment, lots of different things.

“The biggest highlight this year was the World Championships and coming away with a gold in the junior women’s class.

“It was so surreal, I had been dreaming of that moment for so long. So for it to happen like that, after all the work I put in, was just amazing.”

The next step in Shriever’s young career will come next year when she moves up to the senior ranks full time, competing against the best in the business.

She has already had a taste of the competition, finishing sixth in the Papendel round of the UCI BMX SX World Cup Series this year.

But regardless of what happens next year, there is no doubting the love of the sport will continue to burn bright for Shriever.

“I started BMX when I was quite young, just eight years old and just loved it,” added Shriever, who benefitted from SportsAid awards in 2013, 2014 and 2017.

“I love being able to travel around the world and meet new people, it’s a lot of fun.

“I’m getting to ride my bike all the time and earn money for it. It’s amazing to be able to do something you love.

“I move up to the seniors next year and it’s a massive jump but it’s something everyone has to do. It’s going to be a real eye opener competing with the best in the business and girls who have been to the Olympics.”

The winner of SportsAid’s prestigious One-to-Watch Award will be revealed at the charity’s annual SportsBall in London on Thursday 23 November. All the funds raised from the SportsBall help to support the next generation of British athletes. Please visit www.sportsball.org.uk for ticket information.