By Ella Jerman, Sportsbeat

THE night may not have ended in silverware but York’s goalball superstar Antonia Bunyan believes being nominated for SportsAid’s One-to-Watch Award will take her to even greater heights in 2020.

After leading her team to bronze at the Youth World Championships, Bunyan was chosen as one of 10 nominees for the annual award, selected from around 1,000 rising British stars supported by SportsAid across more than 60 different sports in 2019.

Bunyan attended the ceremony at Sea Containers House in central London alongside SportsAid alumni such as Christine Ohuruogu, Leon Taylor and Lutalo Muhammad, but just missed out on the award as para-swimming sensation Ellie Challis was named the winner.

Although the night did not end in ultimate success for Bunyan, the 19-year-old said the whole evening had certainly been one to savour.

“I felt honoured and privileged to have been shortlisted for the award,” she said.

“It was an amazing opportunity and it was so exciting to meet all the other athletes in London.

“The funding I’ve been given from SportsAid has helped me train more than I ever would have been able to and I never imagined to be in this position."

Launched in 2006, the One-to-Watch Award has gained a strong reputation for identifying the best up-and-coming prospects in Britain.

Diving world champion Tom Daley was the inaugural winner, with the likes of Courtney Tulloch, Amber Hill, Morgan Lake and now Challis following in his footsteps.

Previous winners have already amassed 43 senior medals from Olympic and Paralympic Games, World and European Championships, as well as Commonwealth Games, to establish themselves as household names.

For Bunyan, the nomination is just the beginning, the goalball star insisting she is determined to follow in her idols' footsteps in the near future.

“We were so close to qualifying for Tokyo and in the end missed it by just one goal. It was pretty crazy,” she added.

“My plan for the future is to lead GB goalball into a Paralympics. That one will be in 2024.

“As a squad, we all need to work very hard and I need to keep achieving too.”

Dame Katherine Grainger, Britain’s most decorated female Olympian, and five-time Paralympic para-equestrian champion Natasha Baker were among the panel of judges casting their eye over the nominees, and Grainger was blown away by the vast array of talent on show.

“The One-to-Watch Award is fabulous because we get to have a look at what the future might hold,” said Katherine.

“I’ve been on the judging panel a few times now and every year it’s so hard.

"We really struggle to make the decision – they are outstanding athletes who are as young as 13 and have already had international success.

“That confidence that SportsAid gives - and the extra support and recognition - makes a huge difference to the lives of young people at that point of their career. It is quite game-changing for those who have made the top 10.”

SportsAid’s prestigious One-to-Watch Award was presented at the charity’s Celebrate the Next event, sponsored by the Royal Bank of Canada, in London. Please visit www.sportsaid.org.uk for further information.