Arsenal and England forward, Beth Mead has been nominated for 2022 BBC Sport Personality of the Year.
Mead’s nomination comes after the 27 year-old enjoyed a successful year in which she scored 20 international goals across 2021-22 season, which saw her break Sir Jimmy Greaves’ record for most goals scored in a single season within international football.
Across that campaign, she also provided 17 assists when playing for England which meant that she had been involved in 37 goals in 19 appearances for the Lionesses across entirety of last season.
Six of her 20 goals came at this summer’s UEFA Women’s Euro which earned her the Golden Boot as she ultimately helped Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses clinch the title on home soil, which in-turn ensured that the squad became the first England team to win a major title since 1966.
Mead also was crowned as Arsenal Women’s Player of the 2021-22 Season in the separate players’ and supporters’ vote in a rare double triumph, in a campaign where she was the highest-scoring English player in last season’s Women’s Super League (WSL).
Further underlining her sensational year, Mead finished joint-top in assists of last season’s WSL, having produced eight assists alongside her Arsenal teammate – Vivianne Miedema – who like Mead is currently out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury – and Manchester United’s Ella Toone.
2022 also saw Mead break various WSL records which included;
- Most assists in WSL history
- Most chances created in a single WSL season
- Most chances created in open play from a single season
Off-pitch, Mead also launched the ‘Beth Mead Scholarship’ in partnership with Teesside University in February, with the scheme aimed at supporting dual career students who have potential to play professionally at club, national or international level.
Mead will face competition from five sport stars for BBC Sport Personality of the Year, including Eve Muirhead, who guided Team GB Women to a Gold Medal in Curling at Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.
Snooker star, Ronnie O’Sullivan leads the other nominees including; Athletics’ Jake Wightman, Gymnastics’ Jessica Gadirova and Cricket’s Ben Stokes.
The winner will be crowned on Wednesday 21 December 2022 at approximately 8:55pm GMT following a public vote which will open during the ceremony, live from MediaCity, Salford with the event broadcast live on BBC One.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi meanwhile has been awarded World Sport Star after leading his team to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title, albeit with the decision made via a panel vote rather than the now traditional public vote of recent years.
Athlete, Usain Bolt has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement award, whilst the following award winners will be announced during the ceremony;
- Coach of the Year
- Team of the Year
- Young Sport Personality of the Year
- Unsung Hero
- Helen Rollason Award
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