06 December 2013

Christine Ohuruogu (coach: Lloyd Cowan) was last night named Sunday Times & Sky Sports Sportswoman of the year for 2013.

The award capped an incredible year for the 29 year old, who won 400m gold in Moscow and in doing so became the first British woman to win two gold medals at the IAAF World Championships after her 2007 triumph.

The London-based star went head-to-head with Amantle Montsho in one of the most anticipated battles in the Russian capital and it was the 2008 Olympic champion who prevailed by just four thousandths of a second to clock a new personal best of 49.41 – breaking Kathy Cook’s 29 year old British record in the process.

Ohuruogu succeeded GB & NI teammate Jess Ennis-Hill, who won the coveted accolade last year to go alongside the British Athletics Female Athlete of the Year award she won last month.

"It’s such a hard category, which is really great, it means we have women who are excelling and doing so much better than people expect us to do,” Ohuruogu told Sky Sports.  

"The minute you stop looking for something to improve on is the minute you stop running. The plan is to go to Rio (2016 Olympics) but I have to stay fit,"

Also shortlisted for awards last night were Hannah Cockroft (Jenni Banks), Sophie Hahn (Joseph McDonnell), Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie) and Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Mike Holmes).