Lizzy Yarnold, Siobhan-Marie O’Connor, Helen Glover and Heather Stanning on Sportswomen of the Year shortlists

05 October 2015

Skeleton World Champion Lizzy Yarnold has been named on the final shortlist for the prestigious main honour at the 2015 Sunday Times and Sky Sports Sportswomen of the Year Awards.

Swimmer Siobhan-Marie O’Connor – who, like Yarnold, trains at the University of Bath – is in contention for the Young Sportswoman of the Year prize.

And World, Olympic and European women’s pair rowing champions Helen Glover and Heather Stanning – both of whom started their career with the GB Rowing Team Start Programme at the Sports Training Village – are in the running for Team of the Year.

Yarnold’s nomination comes after she added the World and European titles to the Olympic and World Cup crowns she had won in 2014, meaning the British Skeleton & Bobsleigh Association athlete completed the career grand-slam in the space of just 13 months.

Also on the six-strong shortlist are Lizzie Armitstead (road cycling), Rachel Atherton (mountain biking), Charlotte Dujardin (dressage), Jessica Ennis-Hill (athletics) and Bianca Walkden (taekwondo).

Previous winners of the Sportswoman of the Year accolade include Sally Gunnell, Denise Lewis, Dame Kelly Holmes, Zara Phillips, Victoria Pendleton and Christine Ohuruogu. Charlotte Dujardin, Olympic and World dressage champion, took the crown last year.

(From left) Fran Halsall, Chris Walker-Hebborn, Adam Peaty and Siobhan-Marie O'Connor won the mixed 100m medley relay at the 2015 World Swimming Championships
(From left) Fran Halsall, Chris Walker-Hebborn, Adam Peaty and Siobhan-Marie O’Connor won the mixed 100m medley relay at the 2015 World Swimming Championships

Joining O’Connor on the Young Sportswoman of the Year shortlist are Dina Asher-Smith (athletics), Rachelle Booth (taekwondo) and Ellie Downie (artistic gymnastics).

O’Connor – coached in the London 2012 Legacy Pool by Dave McNulty and Graeme Antwhistle at the British Swimming National Training Centre Bath – won 200m individual medley bronze at this year’s FINA World Swimming Championships in Kazan, Russia.

She was also part of the mixed 4x100m medley relay team that won gold in a world-record time.

Glover and Stanning, a University of Bath graduate, extended their unbeaten record at international level to four years and 30 races as they won World and European gold this year.

Facing them in the public vote are the England and Chelsea football teams, plus the England hockey team.

The awards, in association with Vitality, are once again supported by the Sport and Recreation Alliance, UK Sport, Sport England and Women in Sport.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony being broadcast live on Sky 1 and Sky Sports 1 on Friday, November 6.

Sponsors
Partners and Suppliers