04 December 2012

UKA is pleased to announce that Paralympian Olivia Breen (Leroy Elliott) has been shortlisted for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year 2012.

At just 15 years of age, Olivia made her international debut at the IPC Athletics European Championships and won two bronze medals in the T38 100m and 200m.

She went on to become one of the youngest members of the Paralympics GB Athletics Team at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, where she won a bronze medal for Great Britain as part of the T35/T38 4x100m relay team.

The 16-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, also qualified for the final of both of her individual events in London, finishing fifth in the T38 100m and eighth in the T38 200m.

With an ambition to coach disabled children, Olivia is currently studying towards a BTec in PE at Bohunt School in Hampshire and plans to study that further at sixth form college next year.

Q&A from the BBC Sport website:

Q: What is your view of support via social networking sites?

To me they are really important. During the Games I really valued the support I received from my friends and family who I didn’t see for weeks.

Discovering I was trending on Twitter after my 100m final also gave me lots of confidence.

Q: When you were younger, who was your role model?

My twin brother, Dan.

Q: Who has been the most influential figure in your life?

A: My mum.

Q: How do you balance training, education and social life?

A: I am in my GCSE year so school comes first – followed very closely by training. I don’t have much time for a social life!

Q: What sacrifices do you make on a regular basis?

A: I don’t see my friends as often as I used to and I don’t eat chocolate anymore!

Q: Who is your biggest rival?

A: Margarita Goncharova of Russia – the world number one T38 athlete.

Q: What is your favourite food and are you allowed to eat it?

A: Pizza and sadly, no!

Q: What was your favourite subject in school and why?

A: BTEC Sport because I like learning about sport and it is teaching me about nutrition, injuries etc so it is very relevant to my life.

Q: What is your favourite music and does it help you train or perform better?

Beyonce and any happy music. But I don’t think it really affects my training or performance.

Q: What has been your sporting highlights of 2012?

A: Winning a bronze medal in the relay at the Paralympics.