Mary Earps: English goalkeeper wins Sports Personality of the Year Award, says she is “grateful”
English football stalwart Mary Earps has won the Sports Personality of the Year 2023 award, making her the second women’s footballer in succession to achieve this laurel. Earps has been a standout performer this season, leading the Lionesses to their First World Cup final, where her side unfortunately ended up on the losing end, but Earps had already earned widespread recognition.
Mary Earps- an English legend
Mary Earps has been one of the legendary figures for the English side over the years. Having started her youth career at Leicester City, Earps rose through the ranks of the Foxes before playing for several other clubs, and finally ending up at England’s legendary side Manchester United. She has been a mainstay at the Red Devils since 2019, and have several well-earned laurels to her name.
Earps started her international career when she was a 15-year old youngster, who was making long strides among the English goalkeeping ranks as she started her career with England U-17 team. Since 2017, Earps has been one of the primary players for the Lionesses, and led the side to their first World Cup final this summer. She was also awarded Golden Glove for her exploits between the sticks, as last night, she added one more feather to her crown, when she was named the Sports Personality of the Year Award. English cricketer Stuart Broad was nominated on the second spot, followed by heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson. Earps followed her Lionesses and Manchester United teammate Beth Mead, who won it last year as Jockey Frankie Dettori, wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewett and golfer Rory Mcllroy were also shortlisted among the final names, with the result being decided on a public vote.
“It feels great”
The winner exulted on her name being announced as the winner of this prestigious award, as Earps was heard saying, “It feels pretty great off the back of a couple of really big years and 2023 has been wild in ways I couldn’t expect. I’m really, really grateful.”
She had featured in all seven games for England in the coveted World Cup, and had kept three clean sheets, conceding only four goals, which also included a penalty save at the final, which eventually England lost to Spain owing to an Olga Carmona stunner. Last year, Earps led England to their maiden European Championships triumph.
She was heard saying, “I would not be here without my team-mates with the Lionesses and at Manchester United because we’ve achieved some incredible things over the last couple of years.”
Remarkable turnaround
Earps shot to fame was not an easy one. She was labeled as an outcast for the National side, and was on the brink of hanging her boots, before making it big. She was England’s third choice keeper and sat on the bench for 2019 World Cup, before going to become a legend among the Lionesses squad, with her latest batch of shirts being sold out within five minutes.
Earps mentioned about her efforts, as she said, “I feel like I always committed to myself that anything that came after that [tough] period would be a bonus. It hasn’t stopped yet and I’m just trying to make the most of everything that comes my way because when it stops you miss it.”
The award was presented to her by former England greats David Linekar, Claire Balding and Gaby Logan, and was broadcasted live from Salford.
