The final woman in the running for Sportswoman of the Year has been announced.
Seventeen-year-old swimming sensation Sycerika McMahon has today been named ‘Sportswoman of the Month’ by The Irish Times and the Irish Sports Council.
The honour follows the young Co. Down woman’s amazing performance in this year’s Olympic Games as well as her outstanding turn at this year’s Irish Short Course Swimming Championships in France.
McMahon won a total of eight national titles at the Irish Short Course Swimming Championships for the second year running. The London Olympian set a new Irish record in the 200m breaststroke and she also set a new Irish senior record for the 200m individual medley.
McMahon is one of two swimming finalists in this year’s awards; Bethany Firth, also from Down, won the August award for her gold medal success at the Paralympics.
Established in 2004, the aim of the Sportswoman of the Year awards is to recognize the abilities and achievements of women in Irish sports. The overall Sportswoman of the Year will be selected and announced later this month.
The other eleven women in the running for this year’s title are:
December
Fionnuala Britton (Athletics)
The Wicklow runner emulated Catherina McKiernan’s 1994 European Cross Country Championship success by winning gold inSlovenia, a year after suffering the disappointment of finishing just outside the medals.
January
Jessica Kürten (Equestrian)
After a difficult year, when she lost her most experienced horses following a dispute with their owner, and having dropped out of the top 100 in the world rankings, Kürten bounced back with her first major Grand Prix victory in 12 months, winning a nine horse jump-off inAmsterdam.
February
Fiona Coghlan (Rugby)
Coghlan earned this title after showing her strength and commitment as captain to the Irish team, following their performance in the in the Six Nations Championship.
March
Audrey O’Flynn (Hockey)
The Cork-born hockey player and her team narrowly missed out on reaching the London Olympics after they were defeated 4-1 by Belgium in the qualifier final, Audrey O’Flynn was the top scorer at the tournament.
April
Katie Walsh (Jockey)
The Kildare-born jockey made her debut in the Grand National aboard Seabass and made the Aintree record books, beating off competition from Nina Carberry, by becoming the most successful lady jockey to ride in the history of the race.
May
Katie Taylor (Boxing)
The Bray– born lightweight boxer won her fourth consecutive World title in May after beating Russian Southpaw Sofya Ochigava 11-7 in a tense technical final in Qinhuangdao, northern China. Taylor then represented Ireland in the London 2012 Olympic Games winning gold after an incredible performance.
June
Stephanie Meadow (Golfer)
The 20 year old, originally from Jordanstown, won her first ever British Women’s Open Amateur title after beating Spanish 18-year old Rocio Sanchez Lobato from Marbella by 4 and 3 in the final.
July
Annalise Murphy (Sailor)
The 22 year old, Rathfarnham native, narrowly missed out on earning an Olympic medal after four successive victories in London 2012. Murphy came an overall fourth in the Laser Radial Class.
August
Bethany Firth (Swimmer)
At just 16-years-old, the swimmer from Seaforde, Co. Down won Ireland’s first gold in the women’s 100m backstroke S14 final with an amazing performance at the Olympic Aquatics Centre.
September
Ursula Jacobs (Camogie)
Jacobs, 27-year-old from Oulart-The Ballagh club inspired her Wexford team-mates to a fantastic three in-a-row victory over Cork in the All-Ireland Senior Camogie final where Jacobs scored 2-07 in the 3-13 to 3-06 win.
October
Rena Buckley (Football)
24-year-old, Buckley from Donoughmore club, Cork helped her Cork team-mates to a fantastic 0-16 to 0-07 win over their Kerry rivals in the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Senior Football final in Croke Park.
