The Lionesses have added another piece of silverware to their swelling trophy cabinet after being crowned BT Sport's 2022 Action Woman Team of the Year on Wednesday night.
In the 10th iteration of the annual television awards, the Euro 2022 champions were awarded the accolade for their history-making triumphs over the last year, in which they have not only clinched a first-ever major tournament and the country’s first since 1966, but inspired generations of young female footballers and elevated the profile of the women’s game to unprecedented heights.
Sarina Wiegman’s side extended their unbeaten streak to 26 matches with their 1-1 friendly draw against Norway on Tuesday night. While they couldn’t round off the calendar year with a victory, Wednesday’s accolade puts into perspective the transformation the squad has levied on the elite football landscape.
Arsenal and England star Beth Mead was among the six athletes nominated for the coveted Action Woman of the Year award, but the player of the tournament and Golden Boot winner was beaten by Scottish middle and long-distance runner Eilish McColgan.
McColgan enjoyed huge success at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this summer when she claimed gold in the 10,000m and beat the record time set by her mother 32 years earlier. She made further history with silver in the 5,000m, marking Scotland’s 500th overall medal at the Games.
To top off the achievement, the 31-year-old became the first British distance runner to compete in six championships outdoor finals in the same season.
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BT Sport presenter Clare Balding said: “2022 has been a beacon of a year for women’s sport across the board both for teams and individuals. Each one of our nominees has paved the way for a new generation of female athletes, who will one day follow in the footsteps of the role models we celebrated tonight.
“It has been a joy to recognise and relive all these achievements with BT Sport with the Action Woman Awards.”
The Lionesses will look to build upon a successful year at next summer’s World Cup. Preparations continue when the squad next meet up in the new year, taking on South Korea in Milton Keynes on February 16 in the 2023 Arnold Clark Cup.
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