Sports Personality of the Year is a British tradition, an award that generates debate and carries great prestige. Geraint Thomas, favourite in the Sports Personality of the Year 2018 odds, claimed the award last year but he isn't in the running this time around.
In fact, the BBC recently announced the six nominees for the 2019 edition. It’s been a phenomenal year for British sport and these six candidates are well deserving of their spot on the list.
After the Summer of Stokes, Ben Stokes is the only cricket representative on the list despite England’s World Cup triumph. Dina Asher-Smith and Katarina Johnson-Thompson are named following their heroics at the World Athletics Championships.
Alun Wyn Jones led Wales to Grand Slam glory, while Lewis Hamilton secured a sixth Formula One title. Raheem Sterling rounds out the six.
Ben Stokes
The massive favourite to win the award, Ben Stokes’ 2019 has been otherworldly.
The New Zealand-born all-rounder has developed into one of the best Test batsmen in the world, but it was the English summer when he really made his case to win Sports Personality of the Year.
His World Cup started off with a jaw-dropping catch against South Africa. At the crease, Stokes was excellent throughout, though running out of partners was an issue.
With England looking down the barrell in the World Cup final, he built a partnership with Jos Buttler to give them a chance and led the way as England forced a Super Over.
Stokes came out for the Super Over and picked up where he left off – he won man of the match as England won their first 50-over World Cup.
Just a few weeks later, Stokes was in hero-mode again. This time it was a red-ball and the Australians on the other side.
Battling it out in the evening with Joe Root, picking up the pace with Jonny Bairstow and exploding to put on over 70 with Jack Leach, Stokes’ 135 not out to win the Test might just be the greatest innings ever played.
Dina Asher-Smith
Dina Asher-Smith is an athletics superstar. After an agonising fourth place at the World Championships two years ago, Asher-Smith took gold in the 200 metres in 2019.
She added a silver in the 100 metres and the 4x100, too. Her triumph in the 200 made her the first British woman ever to win a major global sprint title.
Asher-Smith is looking to become the first female athlete to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year since Kelly Holmes in 2004.
It isn't often that an athlete wins SPOTY in a non-Olympic year, but Asher-Smith and Katarina Johnson-Thompson are certainly in contention.
Priced at 7/1 to lift the trophy on December 15th, Asher-Smith is second favourite behind Stokes. It would be a surprise if she didn’t make the top three.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson
A career punctuated by disappointment saw its greatest day in 2019 as Katarina Johnson-Thompson dominated the heptathlon at the World Athletics Championship.
Johnson-Thompson set personal bests in four different events and broke Jessica Ennis’ national record for most points.
Highly touted heading into London 2012 after glory on the youth circuit, Johnson-Thompson has always been destined for the top, but 2019 was the year she finally realised that promise.
The 2013 Worlds saw a fifth-placed finish, and the 2015 Worlds were painful as a collapse in the long jump ended her hopes. KJT missed out on a medal in Rio as the javelin and shotput let her down once again.
The last few years made this gold medal that bit sweeter. Johnson-Thompson will get plenty of support in the public vote.
Lewis Hamilton
A runner-up in 2007 and 2008 and winner in 2014, Lewis Hamilton is no stranger to a Sports Personality of the Year ceremony. With a sixth Drivers’ Championship to his name, Hamilton is now only behind Michael Schumacher on the all-time list.
The Brit – despite his Mercedes not always being the fastest car – dominated the 2019 Formula One season, capping it off in style in Abu Dhabi at the start of December.
Hamilton enjoyed another immense season as Mercedes made it six Drivers and Constructors titles on the bounce.
When it comes to Sports Personality of the Year voting, however, there’s a risk that Hamilton’s supremacy has been normalised – he'll get a lot of votes, but it’s hard to see him winning it.
Alun Wyn Jones
Wales won their 12th Six Nations Grand Slam and fourth since 2005 in 2019.
Alun Wyn Jones was named Player of the Championship, and made the most tackles in the World Cup as Wales suffered a heart-breaking fourth-placed finish. Jones has drawn plaudits from the greats of the game including Richie McCaw and Francois Pienaar.
Jones became the second-most capped international in the history of rugby during the World Cup. Only McCaw has appeared in more internationals than the Welsh than the Swansea-born forward.
Most sports betting sites have Jones as the outsider to win Sports Personality of the Year, but with no other rugby players nominated, he’s got a chance of creeping into the top three after an historic 2019.
Raheem Sterling
Manchester City completed a domestic treble in 2019, winning the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and holding off Liverpool in an incredible title race.
Raheem Sterling was as important as any Manchester City player during the campaign, and received the Football Writers’ Footballer of the Year for his efforts.
The former Liverpool forward has frequently spoken about against racism in football, both criticising Leonardo Bonucci and highlighting the terrible coverage in certain newspapers.
Sterling’s profile has grown on and off the pitch during 2019 – he is one of the best footballers in the world and a fantastic role model.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Matt Dunham / AP Photo*
