Nick Skelton nominated for the Best Athlete category in the FEI Awards 2016
Saturday 19 November 2016
Nick Skelton OBE who won Individual Gold at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. winning the first ever Individual Gold medal for Great Britain, has been nominated for the 'Best Athlete' award at the FEI Awards 2016.
The award is given to the person that that the FEI believe has shown exceptional talent in addition to raising the profile of the sport to an entirely new level. With Nick having achieved a Team Gold at London 2012 and then Individual Gold at Rio 2016, with Gary & Beverley Widdowsons tremendous stallion Big Star, at the age of 58 years-old and having recovered from a broken neck injury he has inspired people across the globe that it is never too late to participate in sport and follow your dream.
In the nomination for Nick, the FEI wrote "Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few decades, you'll surely have heard of this jumping legend. The 58 year-old began riding at 18 months old and began his metoric rise to success by winning two team silvers and an individual gold at the FEI European Championships for Juniors back in 1975. He has gone on to win a slew of awards, including Olympic Golds at the past two games and currently holds the British Showjumping High Jump record".
The other nominees running against Nick are dressage rider Isabell Werth (GER), Astier Nicolas (FRA) and PAralympic Dressage rider Sophie Christiansen (GBR) making two of the four nominees British which just shows the strength of equestrianism within Great Britain.
Mark Beever, long term groom to Nick, has also been nominated in the 'Best Groom' category.
The award winners will be announced on Tuesday 22 November at the FEI Awards Gala.
