RAFIKI
Defender
BBC Sports Personality of the Year is an end-of year awards ceremony that celebrates achievements and summarises the year of sport. It’s quite a big deal in the UK. The shortlist for the main award is picked by a panel and then the audience votes during the live show. Top three get a trophy. There’s also a team, unsung hero award, international awards and probably others I’m forgetting. In the before times the public could go to the ceremony and I attended a few times. Very glitzy and lots of standing ovations!
When it comes to gymnastics; Beth came third in 2006 (robbed, the source of her infamous tuxedo leotard, I voted for her many times and once calculated that I was >1% of her vote!), was nominated in 2009 and Max was nominated in 2016. Ellie won the Young SPOTY in 2015 and Fragapane won in 2014 (panel pick from three nominees, no public vote).
You normally get 10 shortlisted candidates for the main award. It has been increased to 12 in Olympic years because of an embarrassment of riches. This year there are only six nominees. It made sense last year but was a surprising choice this year. Candidates are:
Tom Daley (diving)
Tyson Fury (boxing)
Adam Peaty (swimming)
Emma Raducanu (tennis)
Raheem Sterling (football)
Dame Sarah Storey (cycling)
www.bbc.co.uk
Some surprising omissions but who do you think will win?
I think it will be Raducanu but I’d love it to be Tom. We’ve seen him grow up and he has done fantastic things in and out of the sport. Some previous winners have been more life time achievery (ahem Giggs) so there’s a chance.
I’m annoyed that Jessica Gadirova didn’t get nominated for the young SPOTY. She won three medals at Euros (including a gold), won Olympic team bronze, made FX EF and achieved GB’s top AA finish.
ETA
Fragapane’s win
When it comes to gymnastics; Beth came third in 2006 (robbed, the source of her infamous tuxedo leotard, I voted for her many times and once calculated that I was >1% of her vote!), was nominated in 2009 and Max was nominated in 2016. Ellie won the Young SPOTY in 2015 and Fragapane won in 2014 (panel pick from three nominees, no public vote).
You normally get 10 shortlisted candidates for the main award. It has been increased to 12 in Olympic years because of an embarrassment of riches. This year there are only six nominees. It made sense last year but was a surprising choice this year. Candidates are:
Tom Daley (diving)
Tyson Fury (boxing)
Adam Peaty (swimming)
Emma Raducanu (tennis)
Raheem Sterling (football)
Dame Sarah Storey (cycling)
Sports Personality contenders named
A shortlist of six contenders is announced for the 2021 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
www.bbc.co.uk
Some surprising omissions but who do you think will win?
I think it will be Raducanu but I’d love it to be Tom. We’ve seen him grow up and he has done fantastic things in and out of the sport. Some previous winners have been more life time achievery (ahem Giggs) so there’s a chance.
I’m annoyed that Jessica Gadirova didn’t get nominated for the young SPOTY. She won three medals at Euros (including a gold), won Olympic team bronze, made FX EF and achieved GB’s top AA finish.
ETA
Fragapane’s win
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). What a shame that Blackmore didn’t manage to get to the studio in time. It was sweet that she was starstruck by receiving an award directly after Simone. That post-bronze interview with the British team always makes me well up. The BBC montage creators are fantastic. There was quite a bit of twitter outrage over the Team (England Euros football team) and Coach (Southgate-England football team) awards since they didn’t win anything. Not surprising though given the place football has here.
