Each year we take time out to reflect on the biggest sporting events and highlights from the past calendar year. The annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony celebrates the year of sport and concludes with the presentation of the awards for the top three sportsmen or women who have stood out the most in the past 12 months for sporting action or achievement in his or her field.
The contest has been running since 1954 when long-distance runner Christopher Chataway picked up the first Sports Personality of the Year award ahead of former athlete Roger Bannister and show jumping star Pat Smythe. In 1962 British swimmer Anita Lonsbrough become the first woman to win the accolade, and in fact the winners for the next two years were also female, namely sprinter Dorothy Hyman and track and field athlete Mary Rand whom both picked up the award in 1963 and 1964 respectively.
The competition which has been held annually for the past 60 years will already be seeking out the sporting giants of 2015 and the bookies have even begun to take bets on certain sporting personalities that could be set for great things later on this year.
Alongside last year’s winner Lewis Hamilton, who picked up the award after his impressive Formula One World Championship victory in 2014, there is also last years runner-up Rory McIlroy. Both chaps are back on the bookies hit list for another nomination in 2015 as is the gorgeous heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson.
The 21 year old has already picked up the European Indoor Championships title and has even set a new indoor British long jump record. Of course there’s still the 15th IAAF World Championships in Athletics to be held in Beijing this coming August where hopefully Katarina and many other British hopes can achieve further greatness.
Another name being touted to take the title for a second time after receiving the award back in 2010 is Northern Irish horse racing legend Tony McCoy. The 40-year-old jockey is due to retire later this year so could he finish his year with the celebrated accolade? Perhaps it’s worth a wager and a good time to place an AP McCoy bet.
Just who will pick up the title at the end of the year is yet to be seen and with a sporting calendar still full to the brim with upcoming action we’re certain there will be a lot of British champions, old and new, all vying for the honour.
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