Arsenal teenager Theo Walcott has been named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year.

Walcott won the award ahead of English number one table tennis player Paul Drinkhall and athlete Elizabeth Clegg.

Athlete Harry Aikines-Aryeetey won the award last year and current British number one tennis player Andy Murray the year before.

Walcott was voted this year's winner by a panel including representatives of the Youth Sport Trust and BBC television presenters John Inverdale and Andy Akinwolere.

Walcott rose to prominence in January when Arsenal paid more than £12million to prise him from Southampton at the tender age of 16.

Sven-Goran Eriksson controversially selected him in his World Cup squad in the summer even though he had yet to make his Premiership debut but Walcott did not make an appearance on the pitch, adding to the media circus surrounding his fledgling career.

Walcott finally made his bow in the top flight in August, coming on as a substitute in the 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa.

The winger has since featured regularly in both the Premiership and Champions League, impressing boss Arsene Wenger while excelling for the England Under-21 side and playing an integral part in their qualification for next summer's European Championships.