Mary Earps, the celebrated goalkeeper for England and Manchester United, has been honored as the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year for 2023. The 30-year-old footballer expressed her gratitude and disbelief at the award, reflecting on her remarkable journey in professional football.
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Earps, who played a crucial role in the Lionesses’ campaign at the Women’s World Cup, demonstrated exceptional skill and resilience throughout the tournament. Her journey wasn’t always smooth; she faced setbacks in 2019 when she was dropped from the Lionesses and contemplated international retirement. However, these challenges only fueled her determination to succeed.
She was instrumental in the team’s success, particularly noted for her penalty save against Spain’s Jenni Hermoso in the final. Despite the Lionesses falling short of adding to their 2022 European crown with a 1-0 defeat in Sydney, Earps’ performance was stellar.
Earps’ victory in the vote placed her ahead of retired England cricketer Stuart Broad and world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who finished second and third, respectively. Other nominees included wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewett, jockey Frankie Dettori, and golf star Rory McIlroy.
Her win last night marks her as the third consecutive female recipient of this prestigious award, following US Open champion Emma Raducanu in 2021 and her England teammate Beth Mead in 2022. Earps’ achievement is a testament to her outstanding performance and resilience, having kept 14 clean sheets last season and leading Manchester United to finish second in the Women’s Super League.
