TEENAGE clay pigeon Amber Hill capped a fantastic year by winning the BBC Young Sportsperson of the Year Award this evening. The 16-year-old from Binfield picked up the accolade in front of hundreds of Britain's top sports men and women at the glittering ceremony, televised live from Leeds.
Hill, number one shooter in Britain, beat sprinter Dina Asher-Smith, the European 200m junior champion, and golfer Charley Hull, who was part of Europe's wnning Solheim Cup team.
Receiving her award, she said: "This year has, honestly, been incredible. I really can't believe I have won this award out of so many amazing athletes that were nominated for it. I'd like all my friends and family for supporting me and all my sponsors for being so generous." Hill has enjoyed a remarkable 2013, beginning in March as she travelled to Acapulco, Mexico, and became the youngest ever winner of a senior World Cup with victory in the women’s skeet.
Then in September, at the Shotgun World Championships in Peru, she was part of the silver-winning women's team plus fifth in the individual event. During qualifying, she shot 74 out of 75 to equal the senior women’s skeet world record and break the junior one.
Just last month, she scooped SportsAid’s prestigious One-to-Watch Award, picking up her accolade from the charity’s patron, Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge.
Hill is hoping to gain selection for the England for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow then the Rio 2016 Olympics.
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