England and Arsenal forward Beth Mead has been voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2022.
Mead starred at this summer’s Euro 2022, where she helped the Lionesses to glory at Wembley, England’s first ever major women’s football trophy.
The 27-year-old becomes the first women’s footballer to win the award.
In a public vote, England Test captain Ben Stokes was second and Eve Muirhead, who led Team GB to curling gold in the Winter Olympics, came third.
Athlete Jake Wightman, seven-time snooker world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan and gymnast Jessica Gadirova were also shortlisted for the award.
“I’m speechless for once,” said Mead.
“I’m incredibly honoured to win this award. I wouldn’t have done it without the girls. The team have backed me. Yes, I’ve won this accolade, I’ve scored a few goals but I wouldn’t have done it without them,” she added.
“This is for women’s sport and women’s sport heading in the right direction. Let’s keep pushing girls, let’s keep doing the right thing.”
Mead’s stellar performances at Euro 2022 saw her named the Player of the Tournament as well as winning the Golden Boot with six goals and five assists.
Mead also won the Sports Personality Team of the Year award alongside her Lionesses team-mates while England head coach Sarina Wiegman won Coach of the Year.
The accolades are the latest in a long list this year where Mead has already been named Arsenal’s player of the season for 2021-22, came second in the Ballon d’Or Feminin and won BBC’s Women’s Footballer of the Year award.
Her international goal tally for the 2021-22 campaign was 20 in 19 matches, breaking Jimmy Greaves’ long-standing record for the most England goals in one season.
Mead’s incredible year to remember
Having been left out of Team GB’s squad for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Mead’s success is all the more remarkable.
She scored in four of England’s six games at the Euros, including a hat-trick against Norway in the group stage, pipping Germany’s Alex Popp to the Golden Boot.
She has also helped England to qualify for next year’s World Cup with a 100% record and without conceding a single goal.
The Euros was a first major trophy for the Lionesses and first for a senior England team since the men won the 1966 World Cup.
Domestically, Mead was in superb form for her club, Arsenal, before the tournament, scoring 14 goals and providing 19 assists in 40 appearances in the 2021-22 campaign, as the Gunners came agonisingly close to a first Women’s Super League title since 2019 but finished second to Chelsea by one point.
Mead’s 2022-23 campaign was shaping up to be just as prolific but has been cut short after she sustained an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury against Manchester United in November, putting her hopes of playing at next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in doubt.
Presented by Gary Lineker, Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott, the Sports Personality of the Year 2022 was broadcast live from MediaCityUK, Salford.
Other award winners at Sports Personality 2022
Helen Rollason Award: Rob Burrow
Coach of the Year: Sarina Wiegman
Team of the Year: England Women
Young Sports Personality of the Year: Jessica Gadirova
Lifetime Achievement: Usain Bolt
Unsung Hero: Mike Alden
World Sport Star: Lionel Messi
