Para-triathlete and guide given award by peers

A para-triathlete from Derbyshire has been named the 2024 male Athletes' Athlete of the Year by other elite sportspeople.

Dave Ellis, from Heanor, claimed triple crown in the PTVI classification last year after winning the Paralympics, World Championships and European Championships.

The 38-year-old, whose classification is for those with visual impairments, was given the award alongside guide Luke Pollard.

It is the second year that the award has been presented by the British Elite Athletes Association, with the winners chosen by current and former world-class sportspeople.

Ellis said: "The shortlist had some great athletes on there and even just to make that nomination list was unbelievable. I'm blown away to actually win the award."

The duo were nominated by a fellow athlete who wished to highlight the example they set to others.

Pollard said: "I didn't really believe [we'd won] to start off with.

"We're both pretty quiet athletes but it has been really good to put Dave's story and Dave's journey and our delivery of races out into the public.

"To be recognised by fellow athletes is absolutely unbelievable."

In 2024, Ellis won his seventh World Championship and fifth European Championship.

After a bike chain failure ended Ellis and Pollard's medal aspirations at Tokyo 2020, they won by more than a minute in Paris to claim a first Paralympic title.

"The triple crown wasn't really a focus," Ellis added.

"The main thing was Paris and focusing on that. Everything else was a bonus.

"Obviously in a big year you hope everything's going to go well and it ended up exceeding all expectations.

"I'll probably struggle to ever top that year, but it was a brilliant year to have."

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