Who should be on the BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist? Part 1

By Steven Oldham

It's almost that time of year again. A month today, we will know who has succeeded Andy Murray as the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. 

Pleasingly, there is no shortage of contenders this year, with standout performers in big sporting occasions including the Winter Olympics, Ryder Cup, Commonwealth Games and continental championships in a number of sports.

While the award is seen as old fashioned and irrelevant in some quarters, it still manages to attract A-list stars from all sports to the ceremony and remains a strong ratings winner among the general public.

The official shortlist of contenders is not due til late November, but here I look at who could and should be in the running.

Jo Pavey (Athletics)

European 10,000m champion Jo Pavey
 

The distance runner from Devon should be a certainty for this year's shortlist - and among the favourites to win. She was crowned European 10,000m champion at the age of 40 after a memorable victory in Zurich earlier this year. What's even more is impressive is she gave birth just ten months earlier. That she is still competing at such a competitive level is an inspiration to other athletes - both elite and amateur - who retire or think they are past their best. For this alone she should be included as one of the award's criteria is the impact the athlete has had beyond their achievement. As well as her European title, she also picked up a Commonwealth bronze in Glasgow in the same event just ten days later.

Rory McIlroy (Golf)

2014 has been a standout year for McIlroy
 

Rory McIlroy's stunning year is the perfect antidote to an off-par 2013.  He won the Open Championship for the first time, PGA Championship for a second time and helped Europe to a third consecutive Ryder Cup win. In addition to this he has already been named PGA Player of the Year and returned to number one in the world rankings, a position he has held since May. Rather than affecting him negatively, his romantic split from tennis star Caroline Wozniacki seems to have invigorated his form on the green.  He also settled the debate on which country he will represent at the Olympics in 2016 should he qualify. He'll play for Ireland rather than Great Britain as golf returns to the Olympic programme for the first time in over a century.

 

Claudia Fragapane (Gymnastics)

Fragapane has burst onto the international gymnastics scene in 2014

 

The teenager is eligible to win the Young Sports Personality trophy, but her achievements in 2014 are worth a nomination for the main award.  In her first year of senior competition, she has represented her country at European and international level. She was one of the stars of Glasgow 2014 - taking four gold medals in both team and individual events - all at aged 16 - she only turned 17 in October.  This made her the most successful English female competitor at the Commonwealth Games in over 80 years. She also scored European and British silver medals and if she continues her current rate of progress, could be a leading star for Team GB in the Rio 2016 Olympics.

 

 

Lewis Hamilton (Motor racing)

 

Lewis is one race away from being a double champion

 

 At the time of writing Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton is one race away from winning his second world title. Should he triumph, he will become only the fourth Brit to win more than one world title at motor racing's highest table. He now owns the record for most British victories, with 32 surpassing Nigel Mansell's previous best which has stood for over 20 years. In every race he has finished, he has stepped onto the podium. A crucial five straight victories in the latter part of the season has helped him catch and overtake Mercedes team mate and title rival Nico Rosberg. The pairing have both contribute to their dominant team racking up the most points by one constructor in a season in history with a hefty 86 points still available in the final race in Abu Dhabi, where double points are controversially awarded for the first time.

 



 

 Lizzy Yarnold (Skeleton)

 

Team GB's sole gold medallist in Sochi: Lizzy Yarnold

 



Lizzy Yarnold continued Team GB's proud record in the skeleton event at the Winter Olympics in Sochi in February as she won the same title as compatriot Amy Williams did four years earlier. Despite not being an atypical winter sports country, this was the fourth consecutive Games a British woman has stepped onto the podium in this event. Her triumph was the highlight of a successful Games for Britain, who enjoyed their best Games since 1924 with four medals. Largely down to her success, UK Sport funding for skeleton was almost doubled for the next Olympic cycle to the Pyeongchang Games in 2018, as part of a record level investment in winter sports following the British Olympic and Paralympic teams outperforming targets with a total of ten medals. And Yarnold? She wants to defend her title in Korea.

 

You can read part two of this blog HERE

 

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