Cooke is Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year

Posted: 13 February 2009

Nicole Cooke has capped an amazing 12 months of achievement and recognition by winning the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year Award. She received her honour at the newpaper's annual award ceremony, which took place at Lord's Cricket Ground on 12th February 2009.

Cooke performed the unprecedented Olympic and World Road race double in 2008. In both races she showed her trademark grit and determination and overcame some high quality rivals in two of the best race finishes you'll ever see. Her Olympic gold - Britian's first at the Games - was doubtless a spur for the rest of the GB cyclists and for Team GB as a whole. Cooke has made a habit of producing inspirational performances throughout her career, but 2008 was the kind of career-defining season every athlete dreams of, but only a few ever achieve.

Speaking afterwards, Cooke said "What a great honour! I did not expect this at all and am very grateful to everyone at The Sunday Times who supported me and voted for me."

British Cycling performance director Dave Brailsford said: "2008 was a fantastic year for Nicole - the first woman to achieve both the Olympic title and the World title on the road in the same year. Nicole has singlemindedly dedicated her life to the pursuit of her cycling career, and this award is a fantastic recognition of a truly exceptional athlete and person."

Amongst the other athletes to pick up awards on the evening were double Olympic swimming champion Rebecca Adlington, who won the UK Sport Olympian of the Year title, while swimmer Eleanor Simmonds, a Paralympic double gold medallist, won the Paralympian of the Year.  Tennis player Laura Robson was named MCC Young Sportswoman of the Year.

Cooke crosses the line to claim the Olympic title....

...and has more time a couple of months later as she celebrates her World title win

The winners were chosen by a prestigious judging panel chaired by BBC 5 Live sports broadcaster Eleanor Oldroyd and including Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, sports broadcaster Jill Douglas, Head of Policy at UK Sport Amanda Bennett, Head of Insight and Innovation of Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation Cassie Smith , Executive Director of Communications and Public Affairs for Sport England Caroline Weber, Chair of the Amateur Rowing Association Di Ellis, TV presenter and former modern pentathlete Kathy Tayler, Innovations Manager at The Youth Sport Trust Jenny Rouse, representative for the Association for Physical Education (afPE) Elizabeth Murdoch, Sky Sports News presenter Vicky Gomersall and Olympic bronze medallist Kate Allenby.

Here's the full list of nominees for all categories:

Sportswoman of the Year: Nicole Cooke (Road cycling),  Victoria Pendleton (Track cycling), Hayley Turner (Horseracing)
Team of the Year: England women's cricket team, England women's rugby union team, Yngling sailing crew (Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson)
Olympian of the Year: Rebecca Adlington (Swimming), Christine Ohuruogu (Athletics), Rebecca Romero (Track cycling)
Paralympian of the Year: Sophie Christiansen (Equestrianism), Heather Frederiksen (Swimming), Eleanor Simmonds (Swimming)
Unsung Hero Award: Wendy Coles (Administrator at the Amateur Swimming Association), Amanda Kirby (Gymnastics coach), Sheila Plant (President of the Southern Counties Hockey Association)

PE Teacher of the Year: Esther Amery (Toynbee School, Eastleigh, Hampshire), Cheryl Buckley (Baxter College, Kidderminster, Worcestershire), Karen Griffiths (St. Bernard's Catholic High School, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria)
Young Sportswoman of the Year: Rachel Atherton (Downhill mountain bike racing), Holly Colvin (Cricket), Kirsty McWilliam (Triathlon), Laura Robson (Tennis), Zoe Smith (Weightlifting)
Community Club Volunteer Award: Laura Cotton (Teacher and lifeguard at Deben swimming club), Janet Kidd (Football coach of Oxford City Casuals), Kay Stokes (Coach at Cleveland Triathlon Club) 

The event is in association with David Lloyd Leisure and is also being sponsored by Sport England, UK Sport, and CCPR. The Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation is also lending its support and is the event's charity partner.