SHONA O’Dwyer’s trailblazing year in the world of netball has earned her a place among the finalists for the Sportswoman of the Year award, sponsored by Miles Windows Systems.

The Swindon star, who turns 20 in January, became the first player from Wiltshire to earn a place with a Netball Superleague franchise when she was added to the Team Bath squad as a training partner in 2017.

She also struck gold at international level back in June. After being invited to attend an England U21 trials day in Derby and being named as a reserve for the team to play at Netball Europe in Aberdeen, she got a surprise call from head coach Kat Ratnapala to join the squad.

The former Lydiard Park Academy pupil travelled up with the team to Scotland and played centre and wing attack during a tournament as England completed a clean sweep of victories over Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland to secure victory.

O’Dwyer started her netball career at Croft at the age of 13 before joining Gloucester-based Hucclecote in the National Premier Division Two.

Trowbridge-based ultra-distance runner Anna-Marie Watson crowned a successful 2017 season on a real high by winning the inaugural Half Marathon des Sables in Fuerteventura.

Having completed the legendary Marathon des Sables across the Sahara Desert in Morocco two years earlier, Watson took full advantage of her invite to secure overall victory in the ladies’ section and came 14th overall of the 300 competitors from 40 different countries. Held over three days and measuring 111km, Watson won two of the stages.

Before that, Watson enjoyed a brilliant debut in the Alps as she finished seventh woman and 90th overall in the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc Hall. She completed the single-stage 166k race, incorporating almost 10,000m of climbing in a time of 28hrs 37mins 16secs and was the fifth Brit home.

Boxer Rebecca Connolly fulfilled an ambition that had been burning for more than six years when she triumphed on her professional debut in Trifecta’s Back To The Future Show at the MECA in Regent Circus in September.

The 33-year-old mum-of-four, who is nicknamed Lady Luck, competed in the super-featherweight division.

Growing up, Connolly was into martial arts – in particular judo - and came close to reaching the pinnacle until she was struck down by injury. After turning her back on judo, Connolly got married and had children before getting divorced six years ago.

And the change in life for the personal fitness trainer also saw her take stock and set new goals. Having fought on the white-collar circuit around London, Connolly was granted her professional boxing licence in the summer.

Connolly also coaches youth classes to help aspiring boxers in the town and works hard to help people achieve their goals and improve their lifestyles.