Twelve British sportspeople have been shortlisted for the British Elite Athletes Association’s (BEAA) 2025 Athletes’ Athlete of the Year award.
Now in its third year, the award is the only athlete-led prize that crosses all World Class Programme sports.
The shortlist has been decided by BEAA members, current World Class Programme-funded athletes, who were invited to nominate their peers and will now vote for their male and female winners.
It has been another proud year for British sport, with athletes shining in and out of competition, breaking records, overcoming challenges, and using their positions to positively impact both the sporting world and wider society.
The men’s shortlist includes: William Ellard (para-swimming), John Gimson (sailing), Fin Graham (para-cycling), Jake Jarman (gymnastics) and Benjamin Pritchard (para-rowing), and Matt Weston (skeleton).
The women’s shortlist comprises: Anna Burnet (sailing), Emily Campbell (weightlifting), Lauren Henry (rowing), Sally Kidson (boccia), Sophie Newnham (boccia) and Erin McNeice (climbing).
William Ellard
William delivered a superb performance at the 2025 World Para-Swimming Championships in Singapore, winning four gold medals and a bronze. The 19-year-old triumphed in the S14 100m butterfly and 200m freestyle, as well as the S14 mixed 4x100m medley and mixed 4x100m freestyle relays. An excellent year concluded with two world records in the S14 200m and 400m freestyle. William’s nominee said: “He sets a great example to young athletes, being the perfect role model.”
John Gimson
It was a case of more of the same for John in 2025, as he won the Nacra 17 World and European Championships alongside Anna Burnet, who is nominated for the women’s award. Their success further cemented the duo’s dominance in the foiling catamarans, with this year’s victories meaning they are now three-time champions at both World and European level.
Fin Graham
2025 proved to be another excellent year for Fin as he continued his dominance on the road. He won the C3 road race at the 2025 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships to secure a fourth consecutive world title, meaning he holds the Paralympic and world crowns simultaneously. The 26-year-old also won bronze in the C3 time trial at the same event, and added a further five medals at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships, including three silver and two bronze.
Jake Jarman
Jake became the first British male artistic gymnast to win world titles on two different apparatus when he took gold on the floor at the 2025 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships. The 24-year-old also won three medals at the European Championships in May, including men’s team gold, mixed team silver and vault silver.
Benjamin Pritchard
Benjamin is nominated for the second consecutive year after completing the full set of major titles in the PR1 men’s single sculls in 2025. Having won Paralympic gold in Paris, he added World and European crowns to his collection this year. The Welshman began with victory at the European Championships in Bulgaria, where he set a world record twice en route to gold. He followed that up with another world’s best time to secure his first world title in Shanghai, meaning he currently holds the Paralympic, World and European titles, as well as the championship record time at each of the events.
Matt Weston
It’s been a history-making year for Matt, who became the first British man to win back-to-back World Cup titles in skeleton in February. He repeated the trick a month later, winning gold at the IBSF World Championships to become the first British skeleton slider to win multiple world titles. The 28-year-old also secured silver in the team event at the same championships and has started the current season in fine form, winning the first three World Cup races of the campaign.
Anna Burnet
Anna joins partner John on the shortlist following their Nacra 17 World and European Championship success in 2025. Now a three-time champion in both events, this year’s continental triumph was secured with a race to spare, while at the World Championships in Cagliari, Anna and John edged a tactical battle to take an outstanding victory.
Emily Campbell
Emily became the first female weightlifter to win five consecutive European Championships as she claimed the continental title in April. It was a dominant display from the double Olympic medallist, who lifted a total of 281kg to win the women’s +87 kg category and build on her remarkable legacy in the sport. At the World Championships in October, she showed true resilience and determination to finish fourth despite suffering a 3C quad tear just three weeks before the competition.
Lauren Henry
After switching from the quadruple to the single sculls following a gold medal in Paris, Lauren has enjoyed a year to remember in the new boat. In June, she won the European Championships, setting a British record and a European Best Time in the process, in what was her first senior international regatta in the single sculls. A World Championship silver followed in September, meaning Lauren ended the season having medalled in every race. Reflecting on her 2025 performances, the athlete who nominated Lauren said: “Her resolve and resilience throughout the season have been an inspiration for many and she was always there cheering me on whenever I needed it in training or at competition.”
Sally Kidson
2025 was a landmark year for Sally as she won her first major title at the European Championships in July. The 20-year-old beat defending champion, Sonia Heckel of France, 3-2 in the BC3 final to clinch the gold medal. Afterwards, she dedicated the victory to her pairs partner, Will Arnott, who passed away at the end of 2024. The athlete who nominated Sally praised her strength this year, saying: “She has faced these challenges head-on to have her most successful year yet.”
Sophie Newnham
World Boccia regulations meant Sophie missed out on competing in Paris due to being 11 days too young, so 2025 was the first year she has competed in the BC4 event without restriction. And what a year it’s been for the 17-year-old. She began 2025 ranked ninth in the world but medalled in every tournament she entered to end the year as world number one. Included in that remarkable run was a European Championship win in the BC4 pairs and a bronze in the individual event.
Erin McNeice
Erin made history in 2025 as she became the first British woman to win World Cup golds in both Boulder and Lead. The 21-year-old ended the season with three World Cup victories, which were enough for her to claim the overall IFSC Lead World Cup title. Erin placed fourth in both disciplines at the World Championships and her achievements this year mean she is already one of the most successful British sport climbers in history.
What happens next?
All current World Class Programme athletes have until Wednesday 7 January 2026 to cast their votes via the BEAA’s latest member email. The winners will receive personalised trophies on behalf of the BEAA and our members.
Bottom row, fifth left: World Rowing / Benedict Tufnel
