2020’s winners: The Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Awards in association with Vitality

• Hollie Doyle named The Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year
• Dame Sarah Storey is Disability Sportswoman of the Year
• Rugby player Zainab Alema voted Vitality Grassroots Sportswoman of the Year
• Sue Barker OBE received the talkSPORT Lifetime Achievement Award
• Layla Banaras handed the Young Inspiration Award
• Alice Liveing wins Influencer Award, which celebrates the influencers who have used their voice to inspire the nation during the lockdown period

The winners of The Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Awards 2020 in association with Vitality have been announced.

The prestigious awards, now in their 33rd year, have led the way in recognising and celebrating the outstanding contribution made to sport by women at all levels, from elite to grassroots and community-wide.

Neville Koopowitz, CEO of Vitality said: “In what has been a very unusual year for sport, these awards recognise the skill, talent, resilience and dedication by some of the very best athletes in the UK, to their respective sports. 

“At Vitality, we firmly believe in the power of sport to inspire people to live healthier lives and it is an absolute privilege to be involved with these awards for a fifth year. The sportswomen recognised today will inspire many more women and girls to get active and participate in sport now and for many years to come. Congratulations to the winners and all those nominated.”

Nick Greenslade, deputy sports editor, The Sunday Times said: “Despite the huge disruption this year, we are lucky to have had five fantastic names on the sportswoman shortlist, all of whom had great claims to the crown.

"We also wanted to recognise the efforts made at grassroots and community level during lockdown and beyond. Sport or any form of exercise is so important for the physical and mental health of millions of women - and that is why we have brought in the Young Inspiration and Influencer awards. We have also brought back the Lifetime Achievement award which goes to Sue Barker in recognition of her contribution to tennis and broadcasting.”

The judging panel of SWOTY included Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Rebecca Adlington OBE, Dame Kelly Holmes, Ama Agbeze MBE, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Natalie Sawyer, Gabby Logan, Ellie Simmonds OBE and Heather Knight OBE.

Previous winners of the main award include Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Elise Christie, Sally Gunnell, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Denise Lewis, Dame Kelly Holmes, Zara Tindall, Victoria Pendleton, Christine Ohuruogu and Laura Kenny. Dina Asher-Smith was crowned the 2018 and 2019 Sportswoman of the Year.