England and Arsenal forward Beth Mead has been voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2022.
Mead was the player of the tournament and top scorer at Euro 2022, where the Lionesses defeated Germany in the final at Wembley to win England’s first major women’s football trophy.
The 27-year-old becomes the first women’s footballer to win the award.
England cricket’s Test captain Ben Stokes was second with Winter Olympics curling champion Eve Muirhead third.
Seven-time snooker world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, gymnast Jessica Gadirova, who won the floor world title, and 1,500m athletics world champion Jake Wightman, were also shortlisted for the award by a panel of experts, with a public vote then deciding the winner.
“I’m incredibly honoured to win this award,” said Mead. “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.
“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.”