Leonard, a Lance Corporal for the Royal Engineers based in Cambridgeshire and who has recently served in Iraq, was nominated for the prestigious award alongside two other Combined Services sports women who have excelled in sport this year. The ceremony took place at the RAF Club in Piccadilly on Thursday, with HRH The Duke of Kent presenting the awards. "I'm so pleased to have won this award," said the 26-year-old, who plays her club rugby for Lichfield RFC. "I was just delighted to be nominated so to actually go on and win it is the icing on the cake. It was a phenomenal day all round, especially to have HRH The Duke of Kent presenting the awards and also to have such high ranking officers attending. "My name will now be on the list of winners of this award forever and that is something very special, especially when you see how many other superb athletes have won this award in the past." Leonard has been instrumental in helping England lead the race in the RBS 6 Nations championship this year, most recently against Ireland on Sunday when England ran out 22-5 winners. Leonard has eight caps for England and was also involved in the historic victory against world champions New Zealand in November. She has also captained the Combined Services rugby team and will this year be hoping to be named in the England Women's World Cup squad, with the tournament taking place in London in August and September. Leonard faced stiff competition for the award with Gemma Howells, a Combined Services swimmer nominated by the Royal Navy, and the RAF's Beverly Childs, a Great Britain Triathlete also nominated. |
