After years of putting in the hard yards, missing out on the Beijing 2008 Olympics through injury, Team GB’s golden girl Jessica Ennis has been name Sportswoman of the Year.
The heptathlon champion was awarded the honour by the Sunday Times following her gold at London 2012.
On her way to success Ennis set three personal bests and a new British record of 6,995 points.
A 306 point victory margin over silver medallist Lilli Schwarzkopf of Germany sealed just one of 25 medals Team GB’s women picked up during the Olympic Games.
Team GB finished London 2012 with 65 medals to their name and with almost half involving female athletes it is clear there is ‘girl power’ movement shifting in sport.
For too long women’s sport has been seen as an aside to the ‘main event’ in almost every sport but the events of the summer have proved there is no substance to such claims.
Some of the most captivating sporting moments from the Olympics were brought to us courtesy of women.
But it was not only in the Olympics where British women were showing their force as 19 of Paralympics GB’s 34 gold medals were won by female athletes.
Surely it is time for Britain, and the world, to stand up and accept women can play sport and although they may not compete against men, they are still elite, world-class performers in the sporting arena.
Even though just a number of months have elapsed since London 2012 it is already visible in media coverage and throughout sporting circles that women are slowly fading back out of the limelight.
No longer can this be the case.
Equality for women’s sport is a must and the unparalleled success of British athletes at London 2012 should be more than enough motivation to see this come about.
In winning the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year Award Jessica Ennis joins a prestigious line-up with includes Paula Radcliffe, Denise Lewis and Kelly Holmes.
Full Roll of Honour
- Jessica Ennis – Sportswoman of the Year
- Jenny Archer – Coach of the Year
- Ellie Simmonds – Young Paralympian of the Year
- Di Redfern – Community Award
- Sarah Storey – Paralympian of the Year
- Sue Campbell – Lifetime Achievement Award
- GB Pursuit Cyclists – Team of the Year (Dani King, Laura Trott & Joanna Rowsell)
- Claire Lomas – Helen Rollason Award for Inspiration
- Jade Jones – Young Olympian of the Year
- Katherine Grainger – Olympian of the Year
- Laura Robson & Heather Watson – Young Sportswomen of the Year
Ben Hampshire (@BH92)
Through the sports lens 