A teenage girl who was born deaf has won seven swimming medals and now been nominated for Deaf Sports Personality of the Year.

Charlotte Gower, aged 15, needs votes to win the award after achieving the remarkable seven medal win for Great Britain at the Tokyo Deaflympics in 2025.

She’s one of six people put forward for Deaf Sports Personality of the Year 2026, after winning three gold medals, three silver and one bronze last year.

“Charlotte contributed more than half of team GB’s entire medal haul and we are all so proud of her,” said mum, Rachel Gower.

Born deaf, Charlotte wears hearing aids day-to-day, but she cannot wear these when swimming. She’s been swimming since she was seven-years-old and recently joined Mount Kelly schools’ sixth form due to their swimming programme – and she’s gone from “strength to strength”.

Mum Rachel said: “Charlotte’s hearing loss makes it more of a challenge, the training is adapted, she can’t hear the coach so they use a light to let her know when to begin swimming. She’s hardworking and determined so nothing holds her back, despite also living with epilepsy. We (the family) are all so proud of her dedication, resilience and achievements which make her truly deserving of this award.”

As well as seven medals, Charlotte has competed at the Aquatics GB Swimming Championships at the London Aquatics Centre racing alongside Olympic and international swimmers - and went on the reach the junior national finals.

She’s also achieved a short course deaf swimming world record (awaiting verification), her mum said.

Charlotte spends “hours and hours” in the swimming pool and her dedication has put her in the running for the prestigious Deaf Sports Personality of the Year 2026 award, at just 15-years-old.

This award is given to a sportsperson whose “contributions, achievements and personality, have made a lasting impression on the visibility of deaf athletes and deaf sports in the last two years”, the website for the award explained.

Voting closes on November 19, you can vote for Charlotte here - https://dspy.co.uk/voting-online/