The 23-year-old visually impaired athlete won silver medals in the downhill, slalom and combined Alpine skiing competitions, as well as a bronze in the Super-G, at this year's Games making her the most successful female British Winter Paralympian of all time and her local newspaper, the Lincolnshire Echo, believes she should feature among the finalists for the prestigious annual title.

It is urging the panel of sports stars, television presenters and journalists that draw up the shortlist, which will be revealed by last year's winner Andy Murray in Glasgow on December 14, to consider her for the award.

"Jade was an inspiration with her performances in Sochi and certainly deserves to be nominated," Lincolnshire Echo editor Mel West said.

"The 2012 Paralympic Games threw up fantastic performances from the likes of Hannah Cockroft, and Jade was just as successful in the Winter Games."

British London 2012 Olympic hockey bronze medallist and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medal winner Georgie Twigg is also among the supporters of the campaign to get Etherington shortlisted, along with the City of Lincoln Council and local organisation Lincolnshire Sport.

Jade Etherington raced to four medals at the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympic Games ©Getty Images


Etherington said being shortlisted would mean the world to her.

"Even to be nominated would be amazing - it's such a big accolade," she said.

"The medals are good and I value them.

"But I don't think BBC Sports Personality of the Year is just about your performance.

"It's about everything else you bring - giving school children the confidence that they can achieve anything they want to, not just in sport, and your public appearances."

Bookmaker Ladbrokes, which does not offer odds on whether a person will be shortlisted, is offering odds of 80/1 on Etherington winning the overall award, while the favourite is golfer Rory McIlroy at 4/7.

Other odds include 7/2 for racing driver Lewis Hamilton, 10/1 for rugby player Jonny Wilkinson, 16/1 for boxer Carl Froch and 40/1 for Sochi 2014 Olympic champion skeleton athlete Lizzy Yarnold.

People are being encouraged to show their support for the campaign on Twitter using the hashtag #JadePersonality.

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