The shortlist of finalists has been confirmed for The Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Awards 2021 in association with Sky Sports.

Now in their 34th year, the awards have led the way in recognising and celebrating the outstanding contribution to sport made by elite performers, coaches, administrators, community volunteers and inspirational women.

And this is the public’s opportunity to vote for their sporting heroes over the past year.

The top-six shortlist for the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year Award includes the following outstanding women: Emily Campbell (weightlifting), Kate French (modern pentathlon), Laura Kenny (cycling), Lauren Price (boxing), Emma Raducanu (tennis) and Sarah Storey (cycling).

Previous winners of the main award include Elise Christie, Sally Gunnell, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Denise Lewis, Dame Kelly Holmes, Zara Tindall, Victoria Pendleton, Christine Ohuruogu, Dina Asher-Smith and Hollie Doyle who most was crowned the 2020 Sportswoman of the Year.

The winners will be revealed at an online ceremony on the evening of Thursday November 25th.

THE SUNDAY TIMES SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

The ultimate accolade for your favourite Sportswoman of 2021

• Emily Campbell (weightlifting)
• Kate French (modern pentathlon)
• Laura Kenny (cycling)
• Lauren Price (boxing)
• Emma Raducanu (tennis)
• Sarah Storey (cycling)

YOUNG SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

The outstanding young sportswomen aged 21 years old or younger on January 1, 2021

• Zoe Backstedt (cycling)
• Sky Brown (skateboarding)
• Alice Capsey (cricket)
• Keely Hodgkinson (athletics)
• Bethany Shriever (BMX)
• Maisie Summers-Newton (swimming)

DISABILITY SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

The outstanding performer in a disability sport

• Hannah Cockroft (athletics)
• Kadeena Cox (cycling and athletics)
• Bethany Firth (swimming)
• Phoebe Paterson Pine (archery)
• GB para-canoeists Emma Wiggs, Charlotte Henshaw, and Laura Sugar

SKY SPORTS TEAM OF THE AWARD

Celebrating the achievements of Britain’s successful collective efforts

• Chelsea Women FC
• England Netball
• Europe’s Solheim Cup team
• Hannah Mills and Eilidh McIntyre
• Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald
• Oval Invincibles

GRASSROOTS SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD

For individuals who have actively engaged with different groups of people within their community through sport

• Betty Codona, basketball
• Betty Codona founded Sheffield Hatters Basketball Club in 1961, the first women’s basketball club in the UK. This year, she is celebrating her 60th year volunteering at the club.
• Clova Court, athletics
• Clova Court is a former international athlete who competed in track and field for Great Britain. She now works as a grassroots sports coach for the Tipton Sports Academy and has worked with young people for more than 20 years.
• Hasina Rahman, martial arts
• Hasina Rahman is the owner of a female-only martial arts club in Luton, Pink Diamond Martial Arts. She teaches Muay Thai, MMA and self defence, with the aim of “giving girls the gift of self-acceptance and empowerment through martial arts”.
• Salma Bi, cricket
• Salma Bi is a coach and umpire, working to bring more young girls and women into cricket, particularly from South Asian backgrounds. She was the first British Muslim woman to play at county level, representing Worcestershire County.

CHANGEMAKER AWARD

Celebrating those who have inspired others and used their platforms to create change

• Alice Dearing
• Alice Dearing is a swimmer for Great Britain and the co-founder of the Black Swimming Association. This summer, Alice became the first black woman to swim for Team GB at an Olympic Games when she competed in Tokyo in the 10km marathon event. She is a vocal advocate for diversity in her sport.
• Anita White
• Anita White is the founder and CEO of the Anita White Foundation, an organisation that aims to educate, empower, and invest in female leaders in sport, and to champion gender equality in sport leadership. A former international sportswoman and captain of the England Hockey team, she was chair of the Women’s Sport Foundation and pioneered the landmark Brighton Declaration on Women and Sport in 1994.
• Dr Emma Ross
• Dr Emma Ross is co-founder and co-CEO of The Well HQ, an organisation that aims to educate and empower women to understand their bodies and use that knowledge to perform better in sport and physical activity. Formerly the head of physiology for the English Institute of Sport, she launched the smartHER programme to educate coaches and athletes about the female body in high performance. She now works with sporting bodies, as well as PE teachers and students, to improve the support they offer to girls and women.
• Sue Anstiss
• Sue Anstiss is the founder of the Women’s Sport Collective, which began during the first lockdown and now has more than 3,500 members from 60 countries, helping women in the industry to network, share resources, and mentor each other. She has published a book, Game On: The Unstoppable Rise of Women’s Sport and hosts a podcast, The Game Changers, which celebrates trailblazing women in sport. She was a founding trustee of the Women’s Sport Trust, is a director of Lewes FC, and has worked for a number of organisations, including the RFU’s Independent Inclusion and Diversity Advisory Group.

Visit www.sportswomenoftheyear.co.uk/vote to vote for your favourite sporting heroes.

Voting closes at 12pm on Wednesday November 17th, 2021.