While the BBC has gradually lost its reputation as a haven for sports’ fans in the last decade, the coveted Sports Personality of the Year award remains the channel’s seminal occasion.
Whether your idea of sporting achievement involves intense physical activity or playing mobile games through the Europa Casino, this is an event that captures the imagination of people nationwide. With this years’ live final scheduled to take place on 14th December in Glasgow, now is the ideal time to appraise potential nominees and look at who is likely to lift the highly popular award and follow in the steps of stars such as Ryan Giggs, Andy Murray and Chris Hoy:
Rory McIlroy
Arguably Britain’s most prominent and lucrative sportsman of 2014, Rory McIlroy has enjoyed considerable success in winning both the Open Championship and the PGA Championship. He has now claimed four major titles, while his skill, youth and charisma make him a natural choice for an award that always seems to favour individual sportsmen. Unsurprisingly, he is the bookmakers’ favourite for the award and can be backed at 1/6 to join an ever increasing list of sporting legends.
Lewis Hamilton
The next few weeks could be seminal for the bright and occasionally controversial Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton. Not only is he priced at 4/1 and clear second favourite with the bookmakers’ to win the Sports Personality of the Year award, but he is also likely to seal the Formula One Drivers Championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend. Hamilton needs just a second place finish to secure the title, and his success could well bolster his chances of superseding McIlroy as the front-runner.
Carl Froch
British citizens love an underdog, and while Nottingham-born boxer Carl Froch starts most contests as favourite he is priced at a generous 50/1 to be crowned as the Sports Personality of the Year. It cannot be denied that Froch has enjoyed a stellar year, however, with his stunning knock-out of George Groves at Wembley representing one of the most tumultuous moments in recent boxing history. Popular with British sports fans, Froch could follow in the footsteps of the legendary Joe Calzaghe and win the award this winter.