Karen among sporting elite

Nov 25 2005 By Anna Jeys, Birmingham Mail

FOOTBALL's golden girl Karen Carney has notched up another award nomination for her efforts in the England Ladies team.

The Hall Green teenager rose to fame after scoring the winning goal in the Euro 2005 game against Finland in June.

And now the 18-year-old has been shortlisted in the BBC Midlands Sports Awards 2005 alongside England cricketer Ashley Giles and England rugby player Pat Sanderson.

She will also go up against World Darts Champion Phil Taylor and Coventry Blaze Ice Hockey Coach Paul Thompson.

The Midlands Sports Personality of the Year will be given their award at a glittering ceremony at the National Motorcycle Museum in Bickenhill on December 4.

Karen, who has already been voted Nationwide Young Player of the Year, made her debut at 17 whilst studying for her A-levels.

She was also recently nominated in the Sunday Times Young Sportswoman of the Year award but narrowly lost out to British mountain biker Rachel Atherton.

The teenager, who is studying sports science at Loughborough University, said: "I am really pleased to be nominated. I have been up for quite a lot of awards lately and it is such an honour.

"In this one I am up against some really big names so I don't expect to win it at all. There are people that have won the ashes so I am sure I won't win.

"If I did, it would be brilliant but it is such a privilege to be nominated alongside such big names. I am just chuffed with myself with how much I have achieved this year.

"Obviously the goal against Finland is what I am remembered for at the moment but I want to go on and be remembered for much bigger things and go and do my best for England."