Arsenal Women and England Women forward Beth Mead has won the 2022 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
The 27-year-old ended the Lionesses' triumphant Euro 2022 campaign as the Golden Boot winner and Player of the Tournament with six goals and five assists to help Sarina Wiegman's side clinch the trophy.
Mead also placed second in the Ballon d'Or Feminin behind Alexia Putellas of Barcelona and was crowned the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year for 2022.
The former Sunderland attacker finished ahead of England cricketer Ben Stokes and Scottish curler Eve Muirhead, who came second and third in the vote respectively. Gymnast Jessica Gadirova, snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan and middle-distance runner Jake Wightman were also nominated for the award.
"I'm speechless for once. I'm incredibly honoured to win this award. 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," Mead told BBC One.
© Reuters
"I wouldn't have done it without my dad, my mum and all my family. 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 BBC Sports Personality of the Year success was one of three triumphs for England Women on the night, as the European champions were also named the Team of the Year.
Manager Wiegman was also named the Coach of the Year after guiding the Lionesses to continental glory on home soil, culminating in a 2-1 win against Germany in the final at Wembley.
England's Euro 2022 triumph marked a first-ever major tournament win for the women's team and a first for the nation since the men's team won the 1966 World Cup.
"I feel humbled and grateful to win this award. Without this incredible team of players and human beings we could never have performed as we did. We have incredible staff. It has been fantastic," Wiegman added.
© Reuters
"I've been the lucky person to come into this and work with these players. We played at Wembley of course and we broke records. We've made a change in society. Now little girls are walking around with the names of our players on the back of their shirts."
Elsewhere, 18-year-old Gadirova was named the Young Sports Personality of the Year after scooping a historic gold medal in the women's floor at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain attacker Lionel Messi won the World Sport Star award, while retired Jamaican sprinter and world 100m and 200m record holder Usain Bolt clinched the Lifetime Achievement award.
The Helen Rollason award for "outstanding achievement in the face of adversity" went to former Leeds Rhinos and England rugby league player Rob Burrow, as Kevin Sinfield - who has raised more than £7m to fight motor neurone disease following Burrow's diagnosis in 2019 - received the Special award after completing seven ultra marathons in seven days.
Finally, the Unsung Hero award went to football volunteer Mike Alden for his work with Park Knowle Football Club in Bristol.
Ben Knapton
