Sports Personality of the Year 2012

[Murr]

The Nominations for the sports personality of the year have been revealed -

 

 

Nicola Adams - She made history by becoming the first woman to win Olympic boxing gold with victory over China's Ren Cancan in the flyweight division.

 

Ben Ainslie - Ainslie's dramatic gold in the Finn class made him the first sailor to win medals in five different Olympics, four of them gold. He was given the honour of carrying the British flag in the closing ceremony.

 

Jessica Ennis - The poster girl of London 2012 certainly did not disappoint, bringing the Olympic Stadium to its feet with a dominant victory in the heptathlon.

 

Mo Farah - Farah won his first gold medal in the 10,000 metres on a glorious night that also saw victories for Ennis and Greg Rutherford in the long jump. He added a second gold in the 5,000m, becoming only the seventh man in Olympic history to do the double. Hugely popular and could well improve on last year's third place.

 

Katherine Grainger - Three times a silver medallist at previous Games, the 37-year-old Scottish rower finally won gold in London in the double sculls with Anna Watkins.

 

Sir Chris Hoy - The Scot successfully defended two of his three Olympic titles from Beijing. That gave the 36-year-old six gold medals, making him the most successful British Olympian of all time.

 

Rory McIlroy - The world No1 golfer is the only non-Olympian or Paralympian on the list. He has had a superb year, winning his second major at the USPGA Championship, topping the money lists in both the United States and Europe and helping Europe win the Ryder Cup.

 

Andy Murray - After so many near-misses, Murray hit the jackpot in 2012, beating Roger Federer to win Olympic singles gold on the same court he had tearfully lost to the Swiss four weeks earlier in the Wimbledon final. He then ended Fred Perry's 76-year reign as the last British man to claim a grand slam singles title, by winning the US Open. It still may not be enough to make him Sports Personality of the Year.

 

Ellie Simmonds - Simmonds emerged as a star at the Beijing Paralympics when she was only 13, winning two gold medals. She added two more golds, a silver and a bronze in London, where she was one of the star attractions.

 

Sarah Storey - Storey's extraordinary dominance of women's cycling at the Paralympics landed her four gold medals and cemented her reputation as one of Britain's finest Paralympians, having switched from swimming after Athens 2004 – a sport in which she won five gold medals.

 

David Weir - The Londoner stole the show where Paralympic athletics was concerned, winning four gold medals at distances from 800m all the way up to the marathon, taking his tally to 10 medals overall, six of them gold.

 

Bradley Wiggins - The hot favourite to win the award, the Guardian columnist has been one of the faces of 2012. He became the first British rider to win the Tour de France and then added Olympic gold in the time trial, his seventh medal overall. He certainly fulfills the personality element.

 

It's a great list this year, Really reminds you of what a great sporting year 2012 has been. Glad to see variety in the sports nominated.

 

Good to see boxing represented by Nicola Adams (I guess a first women Olympic gold is a greater achievement than Froch winning his IBF super-middleweight title)

 

 

It's gotta be Bradley Wiggins hasn't it? Probably Mo Farah second, and either Murray or Ennis 3rd.

[Charlie]

I really can't see past Wiggins taking it. Murray coming in 2nd and Jess Ennis in 3rd.

 

Chris Hoy for a lifetime achievement award at some point over the next few years if not this year.

[jayseven]

I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise that this year's list is much more laudable than most years, where it's maybe one or two extremely excelling individuals.

 

Historically, it should go to Bradley Wiggins as that's the most recognisable set of feats. The paralympians that make the list almost make the Paralympics sound a bit absurd - one has switched from getting gold (and dominating) in swimming to getting gold (and dominating) in cycling, while the other is winning distance running of 800m up to a marathon... Jeez these are super athletes. You couldn't imagine those scenarios occuring in the Olympics.

[Shorty]

As a Sheffielder, gotta cross my fingers for Jess, amazing performance at the Olympics was entertaining start to finish.

 

(But I expect first place to go to Wiggo).

[Jon]

Has to be between Murray and Wiggins surely, both achieved things that just don't happen to British athletes. I'd like to see Murray win it, other than the fact he's one of my sporting heroes, i've never liked Wiggins or the way he carries himself.

[Ramar]

Weir or Farah for me. Multiple gold medals and some of the best moments of the Olympic and Paralympic games.

[MadDog]

Mo Farah or Jess Ennis for me, would be really happy with either winning.

 

Was really hoping to see Laura Trott in there, what she has done at her age is unbelievable.

[Ramar]

I think the best thing about this years SPOTY is that it really is a list of worthy athletes. We're not going to get another bullshit one like when Giggs won it for being an old man.

[bob]

i've never liked Wiggins or the way he carries himself.

 

...on a bike?

[WackerJr]

What an absolutely fantastic year it's been for UK sport in general. A very well deserved list of finalists, for whom in some years their achievements would've put them head and shoulders above the rest, but such is the magnitude of the quality of sport this year there's no guaranteed winner.

 

Congrats to all the names on the list. I see the top 4 being Bradley Wiggins, Andy Murray, Mo Farah and Ben Ainslee.