Lionesses star Beth Mead leads six-nominee shortlist for BBC Sports Personality of the Year award

England star Beth Mead is the heavy favourite to win this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year award after helping guide the Lionesses to their first major trophy at Euro 2022.

The Arsenal forward won the Golden Boot for leading scorer and was named player of the tournament during England’s historic triumph at Euro 2022 in the summer.

Mead is joined on the shortlist by England cricket captain Ben Stokes, snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan, gymnast Jessica Gadirova, curler Eve Muirhead and runner Jake Wightman.

Beth Mead leads the six nominees for the 2022 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award

England cricket captain Ben Stokes is also in contention for the award, which he won in 2019

Mead has recently put pen to paper on a bumper new contract with Arsenal after her stunning year, with the Wembley showpiece the 27-year-old standout moment of the summer.

‘It was a proud moment for me and a surreal moment, walking out of that tunnel and going to play football in front of a home crowd,’ Mead said of the final played in front of a record 87,192 crowd.

‘The day in general, the noise in general, the atmosphere was honestly something I’ll never feel or experience again.’

Mead scored six goals at Euro 2022 while also providing five assists for her team-mates.

Mead also finished as runner-up in this year’s Women’s Ballon d’Or, with Alexia Putellas scooping the award.

And it wasn’t just the football that has enjoyed a stellar year. England’s cricket team – led by Stokes – has enjoyed a resurgence in both white and red ball. 

Stokes won the award in 2019 and is in the running again after overseeing Test series wins over New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan, while also playing a starring role in England’s T20 World Cup victory.

Snooker icon Ronnie O’Sullivan could claim the gong after winning a seventh world title

Jake Wightman (left) and Jessica Gadirova (right) both became world champions in 2022

Eve Muirhead helped lead Great Britain to their only gold medal at the Winter Olympics

O’Sullivan could claim the gong for the first time at the age of 47 after equalling Stephen Hendry’s record by winning a seventh World Snooker Championship.

Muirhead’s Olympic career had a golden ending with the skip leading her team to Great Britain’s only gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Beijing before announcing her retirement.

Eighteen-year-old Gadirova and Wightman both became world champions in 2022, Gadirova with her floor routine and Wightman in the 1,500 metres.

The winner will be announced during the live show on BBC One on Wednesday.

It has already been announced that eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt will receive the Lifetime Achievement award while Argentina captain Lionel Messi is the World Sport Star of the Year following his World Cup-winning heroics in Qatar.

The SPOTY gong will be awarded at a ceremony on a live show on BBC One on Wednesday