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Manchester United and England goalkeeper, Mary Earps headlines the six-person shortlist for 2023 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Earps has enjoyed a strong 2023 for Man Utd and England in which she picked up two Golden Glove awards – having kept 14 clean sheets for the Red Devils in 2022-23 Women’s Super League (WSL) plus three clean sheets as the Lionesses finished runners-up at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Her 14 clean sheets also marked the most clean sheets than any goalkeeper had kept in a single WSL season, which previously stood at 13 clean sheets by Arsenal’s Manuela Zinsberger the previous season.
The 30 year-old also was part of England’s winning Women’s Finalissima squad as the Lionesses beat Brazil in the UEFA-CONMEBOL showpiece clash in April, two months after the team retained the Arnold Clark Cup title.
Earps too was part of the Man Utd team who finished runners-up to Chelsea in both WSL and Women’s FA Cup, plus captained England in UEFA Nations League wins over Netherlands and Scotland earlier in December.
Off-pitch, Earps even launched a successful campaign for replicas of her goalkeeping kit to be made available for sale, after Nike initially refused to sell her shirt alongside the regular England Women shirts only to eventually u-turn with stock quickly sold out once on market.
Further success this year saw Earps crowned BBC’s Women’s Footballer of the Year plus Sunday Times’ Sportswoman of the Year, which underlined her success and impact on and off the pitch for club and country.
Earps though will face tough competition from Wheelchair Tennis star, Alfie Hewett after he won five Grand Slam titles – Australia and US Singles plus Australian, French and Wimbledon’s Men Doubles.
Jockey, Frankie Dettori is also on the shortlist after he enjoyed a strong final year of horse racing on British soil, which included two wins at Ascot in his final-ever UK meeting.
Former England cricketer, Stuart Broad has earned an nomination after he claimed 604 wickets in Test Cricket, plus managed to hit a six from the last ball that he faced then claimed a wicket with his very last bowl as a player in his final match against Australia.
Athlete, Katrina Johnson-Thompson is also shortlisted after she claimed her second Heptathlon World Championship title, following a series of injuries since she won her first title in 2019.
Golfer, Rory McIlroy rounded out the six-person shortlist after he won the Scottish Open and was top-scorer as Europe won the Ryder Cup, which marked his fifth Ryder Cup title of his career.
The winner will be announced live on BBC One on Tuesday 19 December with the show commencing at 7pm GMT.
2022 BBC Sports’ Personality of the Year was won by Earps’ England teammate, Beth Mead who had finished as top goalscorer as the Lionesses won 2022 UEFA Women’s Euros on home soil.
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