Olympians and Paralympians sweep the board at Women of the Year awards

'Incredible' female athletes honoured for sending out aspirational message to young women

Team GB’s female medallists were honoured at this year’s Women of the Year awards for their outstanding performance at this summer’s Olympics.

Selected by a judging panel, Olympians such as swimmer Rebecca Adlington, cyclist Sarah Storey and rowers Heather Stanning and Katherine Grainger dressed up to attend the awards ceremony at a hotel on London’s Park Lane.

‘London 2012 was – undeniably – the women’s Olympics,’ said judge Lindsay Nicholson, Editorial Director of Good Housekeeping magazine. ‘Our incredible Olympians and Paralympians broke new records and won more medals than ever before.’

She added that the female athletes were role models for young women. ‘Most importantly they sent out a message…That there is so much more to aspire to physically than being size zero.’

Amongst the award-winning Olympians were fellow honoured Women of the Year, Doreen Lawrence, mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, women’s rights activist Zainab Salbi, author PD James and singer Kate Woolveridge.

Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, President of Women of the Year, said of the award winners: ‘Their achievements, dedication and passion are an inspiration to women everywhere, encouraging us all to fulfil our ambitions, support others and stand up for what we believe in.’

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