Kearney and Lee shortlisted for BBC’s Young SPOTY

29 Nov 2015

Para-swimming world champion Tully Kearney and European Games diving gold medallist Matty Lee have both been shortlisted as a contender for the BBC’s Young Sports Personality of the Year 2015.

Kearney (18) from Aldridge won four gold, a silver and a bronze at this summer’s IPC World Championships in Glasgow.

Five years ago, Tully was merely a spectator watching mum Amanda swimming for fun. Tully has a progressive neurological condition that causes muscle weakness, and was reclassified earlier this year.

Tully's first appearance on the international stage was in 2013, where she won one gold, three silver and three bronze medals in her age group at the 25th German Open Meet in Berlin.

Matty (17) from Leeds won gold this summer at the European Games in Baku in the 10m platform event. He also secured a silver in the 10m mixed platform event at the London leg of the FINA Diving World Series – a result he repeated at the FINA Grand Prix in Canada.

Matty also won gold in the 10m synchro and a bronze in the 10m platform events at the British Championships before being selected for his first senior World Championships.

Away from sport Matty is currently training with the senior British team while studying BTEC Sport Level 3 at college. He has been crowned the Leeds Sports Young Sportsman of the Year 2015.

Their achievements in 2015 have earned them a place on the shortlist of 10 for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year.

One of these teenagers will follow in the footsteps of past winners, Claudia Fragapane, Ellie Simmonds, Wayne Rooney, Amber Hill, Tom Daley and Andy Murray.

The top three, chosen by an expert panel, will be named on Blue Peter on Thursday, 10 December (17:00 GMT, CBBC).

The overall winner will then be announced live on Sunday, 20 December, when Belfast hosts Sports Personality of the Year 2015.