Last year many people were up in arms that there were no women on the SPOTY shortlist. Well this year that won’t be the case but I thought I’d have a look at how things stand for the annual event in December:
The following are in without any shadow of a doubt:
Bradley Wiggins – The guy became the first British winner of the Tour de France. He didn’t need to win Olympic gold to get on this list but he did anyway. Wiggins is a no doubter and is the favourite and rightly so. The TdF is an insane event and his performance was just as mad. Seriously impressive.
Jessica Ennis – A woman. Rejoice. She was one of the faces of the Olympic Games and not only did she win Gold but she did it in style and started off the Saturday night of joy that was quite something for us Brits. Any multi-event athlete in Athletics won wins Gold in an Olympic Games or World Championship deserves to – and would make the top ten.
Mo Farah – Again no shock here. Mo did the 5k, 10k double at the Olympic Games. Yeah he’s in.
Rory McIlroy – Whilst everyone was watching the Olympic Games come to a close Rory was winning the final golf major of the year. Any golfer or tennis player who wins a major will make the shortlist – even in an Olympic year.
They are the four who are no doubters take it to the bank top ten.
The following are probably in:
Andy Murray – I want to say he is certainly in but he could still miss out. He got to the final both in Australia and Wimbledon before winning Gold and a Silver at the Olympics.
Ben Ainslie – He may have been a bit lucky to win his Gold but he won it and having won Gold in his fourth successive games that puts him in the ‘probably’ list and closer to certainly in than ‘in the mix’
Sir Chris Hoy, Laura Trott, Jason Kenny – I have lumped these three in together as they are an interesting one to see how it’ll turn out. All three won two Gold medals in the Velodrome but who do you pick as not all three are making the list surely? You’d lean towards Laura Trott because she won a multi-event event but we’ll see.
Charlotte Dujardin – She won a couple of Gold’s is the Dressage and two Gold’s in two different events always gets you noticed. Even though above Sir Chris and Jason also win two gold’s in two different events they are probably outshone by a fellow sportsman and there are only ten spots up for grabs…
Katherine Grainger – She won one Gold just like many other rowers but she was the one with the back story. She had been so close yet so far away before. If there is one thing that Brits like then that is someone who finally wins after being so close so many times. A rower will surely make the list and if one does then she’ll be the one.
The following are what I’d say are ‘in the mix’:
Alistair Brownlee – This is a very interesting one. He dominated triathlon this year and it is a sport no-one usually even notices but being an Olympic year they did – and he won it. Triathlon is quite something but will it be enough?
Nicola Adams – She won Gold but unlike the other Gold winners she is a she and not a he – this is a story in itself. If any of the boxers get the nod it will be her.
Tom Daley – He didn’t win Gold but he has a back story and had many people hooked for his final. That is enough to get him in the mix.
Lewis Hamilton & Jenson Button – If either driver wins the F1 World Drivers Championship then they’ll get there. No doubt. However as we know we are months away from that but worth acknowledging that they are around.
I don’t expect to see any footballers make the grade as the star footballers of 2012 in the UK are both foreigners – Robin van Persie and Didier Drogba. Also I don’t see any of the England cricket team having stood out in 2012 but I suppose it is possible one makes the shortlist but unlikely.
No doubt many will disagree but the top four are in and the others are probably around where I’ve placed them. I know there are other Gold medal winners that I haven’t mentioned but I don’t think they’ll make it. I don’t see more than one Olympic rower or boxer making it or the winner of the clay-pigeon shooting or the kayak sprint.
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