The BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year 2023 awards took place on Tuesday, December 19 and Lioness Mary Earps took home the top prize.

The 30-year-old Manchester United and England goalkeeper was a key part of the Lionesses side which reached the Women’s World Cup final in the summer.

She won Fifa’s Golden Glove award for the best goalkeeper at the tournament.

Earps was also praised after she spoke out about sportswear manufacturer Nike’s failure to offer an England goalkeeper’s replica jersey for sale before the World Cup which later sold out in minutes.

Earps’ success on Tuesday night made her the third consecutive female winner of the award.

Her England teammate Beth Mead won last year and US Open champion Emma Raducanu won in 2021.

Accepting the award, Earps said: “I am honoured and humbled because I think this is the ultimate all-round sporting accolade. We have had a couple of incredible years, but this is just ‘wow’.

“It hasn’t been the easiest journey and I would not be where I am today without a number of incredible people in my corner.

“They have been with me through the really, really not so great times, but the last two years have been unbelievable and I have done more than I could ever have imagined and for that I am truly grateful.

“Thank you to my teammates, and coaches – I wouldn’t be here without you all.”

Who was up for the award?

Retired England cricketer Stuart Broad, who like Earps hails from Nottingham, finished second in the vote while world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson was third.

Wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewett, jockey Frankie Dettori and golf star Rory McIlroy were the three other sportspeople who made it onto the shortlist for the prestigious prize.

There was more than one award handed out on the night though as 1987 world javelin champion Fatima Whitbread received the Helen Rollason Award for “outstanding achievement in the face of adversity” having been abandoned as a baby and spent her first 14 years in children’s homes before being adopted by javelin coach Margaret Whitbread.

Whitbread was a finalist on I’m A Celebrity… South Africa and has worked with various charities assisting and guiding children who had a similar experience to her since her retirement.

Falmouth Packet: Fatima Whitbread won an award on Tuesday nightFatima Whitbread won an award on Tuesday night (Image: David Davies/PA)

Collecting her award on stage, Whitbread said she is working hard with her foundation to rejuvenate the care sector “which it needs desperately” to improve the outcomes for the UK’s young people.

“In the 60 years since I was in the care system, I’ve seen governments come and go and not a lot has changed, they’ve kicked that same tin can down that road, I’ve seen it time and time again.

“I am asking you to help me to make a difference,” she said.

Manchester City’s treble-winning campaign was recognised as they took home the team of the year prize.

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Their striker Erling Haaland won the world sport star of the year award and City manager Pep Guardiola was named coach of the year.

Former player and manager of Liverpool, Sir Kenny Dalglish, was presented with the lifetime achievement award at Tuesday night’s ceremony in Salford.

Mia Brookes, a 16-year-old snowboarder, won the young sports personality prize while Desmond Smith, a grassroots sports coach from Sheffield, won the unsung hero award.