Beth Mead has made history by becoming the first female footballer to be crowned ‘BBC Sports Personality of the Year’.
Beth Mead has made history by becoming the first female footballer to be crowned ‘BBC Sports Personality of the Year’
Arriving on crutches at the Wednesday night (21.12.22) event at Media City in Salford, Manchester, after she ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament in November, the Lionesses hero limped on to stage to collect her award.
In an emotional acceptance speech, Beth – whose mother June is fighting cancer – said: “I am incredibly honoured to win this award. I have got this accolade and I did my job, I scored a few goals, but I wouldn’t have done it without my team and I certainly wouldn’t have done it without my dad, my mum and all my family.
“Most of all, this is for women’s sport and for women’s sport heading in the right direction. Let’s keep pushing girls and keep doing the right things.”
The 27-year-old topped the public vote ahead of cricketer Ben Stokes and Olympic champion curler Eve Muirhead, picking up her trophy minutes from the Old Trafford stadium where she scored England’s winner in July at the team’s Women’s Euros opener against Austria.
It was the first of six goals the striker netted in the tournament, before the Lionesses became the first senior UK side to win a major footballing trophy since Bobby Moore’s 1966 World Cup squad.
Last year’s SPOTY winner was tennis prodigy Emma Raducanu and this year marks the first time since 1972 that women have won the award in two consecutive years.
The Lionesses ended up with a hat-trick at the ceremony as along with Beth’s award, they were named Team of the Year, while their manager Sarina Weigman claimed Coach of the Year – also making history by becoming the first woman to win the gong.
Rugby league’s Rob Burrow was presented with the Helen Rollason Award, which recognises outstanding achievement in the face of adversity, after he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2019 but went on to raise more than £7million for MND charities with three running challenges.
He said as he got a standing ovation while he arrived on stage in his wheelchair: “I am totally overcome with this award given the amount of amazing people who have won this before, in particular my MND hero Doddie Weir.
“I don’t think I would be here today without meeting him. I will accept the award on his behalf.”
Other notable wins included World Cup icon Lionel Messi who was named World Sport Star of the Year after propelling Argentina to victory over France in this year’s tournament final in Qatar.
BBC SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR 2022 – FULL LIST OF WINNERS
Sports Personality of the Year – Beth Mead (1st), Ben Stokes (2nd), Eve Muirhead (3rd)
Coach of the Year – Sarina Wiegman
Team of the Year – England women’s football team
World Sport Star of the Year – Lionel Messi
Young Sports Personality of the Year – Jessica Gadirova
Lifetime Achievement Award – Usain Bolt
Helen Rollason Award – Rob Burrow
Special Award – Kevin Sinfield
Unsung Hero Award – Mike Alden (Chairman of Parke Knowle FC, Bristol)
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