• Dina Asher-Smith named 2019 Sportswoman of the Year
• England’s netball team voted Team of the Year by Sunday Times readers
• Khadijah Mellah named Young Sportswoman of the Year
• Alice Tai named Disability Sportswoman of the Year

The winners of The Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Awards 2019 in association with Vitality have been announced at a star-studded ceremony at the News UK offices at London Bridge.

The prestigious awards, now in their 32nd year, celebrate the outstanding contribution to sport made by elite performers, coaches, administrators, community volunteers and inspirational female figures.

The awards were attended by 200m world champion Dina Asher-Smith, Olympic champions Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh, former World Cup alpine ski racer Chemmy Alcott,  Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, and the 1980 Olympic silver medal-winning swimmer Sharron Davies, among others.

Neville Koopowitz, CEO of Vitality: “Congratulations to all the winners and nominees in this year’s competition. In the past 12 months we have seen some absolutely fantastic performances across many different disciplines from some very talented sportswomen. It is an absolute privilege to be involved in these awards for the fourth year, honouring and celebrating the achievements of women from grassroots right through to elite athletes. At Vitality, we firmly believe in the power of sport to inspire people to live healthy lives and are committed to raising the profile of women in sport. The female athletes recognised today will inspire many more women to get involved and participating in sport.”  

Nick Greenslade, deputy sports editor, The Sunday Times: “These awards grow more significant with every edition but if ever there was a breakthrough year for women’s sport then it was 2019. We saw this most notably when millions tuned in to cheer on the Lionesses in France and then England’s netball team vie for World Cup glory.

Both teams came up agonizingly short of the ultimate prize but their victory, and that of so many others nominated, in awaking the media and the nation to the astonishing array of leading female competitors and their inspiring stories will deliver a legacy more profound than any trophy.

The Sunday Times has been proud to showcase their achievements as part of a commitment to women's sport lasting more than 30 years, and delighted too that this year's Sportswomen campaign has reached 50 million people, up from 8 million last year, and that voting has increased by 63% year on year.”

The judging panel of SWOTY included Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Ellie Simmonds, Rebecca Adlington OBE, Chemmy Alcott, Ama Agbeze MBE,  Helen Glover MBE, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Natalie Sawyer, Kelly Holmes, Chrissie Wellington OBE, Victoria Pendleton CBE, and Gabby Logan.

Previous winners of the main award include Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill twice, Sally Gunnell, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Denise Lewis, Dame Kelly Holmes, Elise Christie, Zara Phillips, Victoria Pendleton, Christine Ohuruogu and Laura Kenny (née Trott). This is the second time Dina Asher-Smith has won the main award, as she previously won it in 2018.