A SWIMMER'S superb 2022 has been rewarded with nomination for a national award.

Poppy Maskill is in the mix for SportsAid’s annual One-to-Watch Award, shortlisted in the top 10 from a raft of 1,000 young athletes supported by the charity across 60 different sports.

The Middlewich 17-year-old, a former Northwich Centurions and Winsford Swim Team competitor, has won multiple national titles but hit the international scene like a train this year, culminating in an appearance at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Para-swimming prodigy Poppy got an almighty kick out of beating her idol at the World Championships.

She brought back a full set of medals from her World Championships debut in Madeira in June.

Poppy was crowned world champion as part of the British 4x100m medley relay squad, while taking silver in the 100m backstroke and bronze in the 100m butterfly.

She touched the wall in the backstroke just ahead of Jessica-Jane Applegate, a stalwart of the British team for a decade, who has been her inspiration in the sport.

“I was quite shocked to beat Jessica-Jane, actually,” said Maskill, who competes in the S14 category for the intellectually impaired.

“She has always performed so well and won medals at the Paralympics. It’s really weird to be on a team with someone I’ve watched on TV so many times.

“I got the chance to speak to her and she was really nice – we both have dogs so we spoke about that, not swimming!

“My first World Championships was a great experience, it feels different to a normal swimming gala because there are so many different countries there. It feels bigger. I was really happy with my performance.”

Poppy, who trains with Alsager Swimming Club, showed her potential with her first senior gold in February’s World Series event in Aberdeen and did it again in Lignano in March.

She revelled in combining with Bethany Firth, Reece Dunn and Scott Quin in winning the title.

“I haven’t done any relay racing before and it feels different when you’re part of a team. You don’t want to let the team down,” said Poppy.

The teenager then earned a dream selection for Team England at Birmingham 2022, with S14 races included in the Games programme for the first time.

Although narrowly missing out on a medal by finishing fourth in the 200m freestyle, she cherished the memories of her experience on the big stage.

“It was really cool being there,” she said. “The crowds were so loud every night.

“I was excited but also very nervous. I learned that it doesn’t make a difference how many people are watching, you have to swim in the same way.”

She already has eyes on another chance to compete on home soil with next year’s World Championships set to be staged in Manchester.

The award she has been nominated for was launched in 2006 to shine a spotlight on the outstanding achievements of Britain’s brightest young prospects, with Tom Daley, Hollie Arnold, Courtney Tulloch, Amber Hill, Morgan Lake and Alex Yee among the former winners.

Poppy, who received her SportsAid support from Aldi this year, said: “I was very surprised to be nominated. It means a lot.”

The winner of SportsAid’s prestigious One-to-Watch Award will be revealed at the charity’s Celebrate the Next event, supported by Royal Bank of Canada, in London on Thursday, November 17. Visit sportsaid.org.uk for further information.