King, Thomas win at BBC awards
LONDON: Legendary tennis player Billie Jean King was honoured with the lifetime achievement award at the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year ceremony yesterday.
The now 75yearold King won 39 Grand Slam titles in singles and doubles competitions.
She has also been a notable advocate for gender equality, and founded the Women’s Tennis Association.
"We all stand on the shoulders of those who came before us and we all have an opportunity to share our lives, our experiences and our vision for the future," King said from Miami.
Cyclist Geraint Thomas was voted Personality of the Year,, receiving British sport’s premier annual individual accolade as a reward for his remarkable Tour de France triumph.
The Welshman, whose victory in cycling’s most prestigious race was the sixth by a British rider in seven years, topped the public vote ahead of Formula One world cham pion Lewis Hamilton and England football captain Harry Kane.
Although he had previously been a double Olympic champion on the track, Thomas lived in the shadow of fourtimes Tour de France winner Chris Froome in Team Sky until beating his teammate and defending champion in the 2018 race.
‘‘As a bike rider, I always focus on myself. Obviously, people want me to win, but hearing stories like Tyson [Fury]’s and Billy [Monger]’s, you realise that what we do does inspire people back home,’’ Thomas said.
Fury amazingly beat the count after being knocked down in his world heavyweight title draw with Deontay Wilder, while youngster Monger made an uplifting comeback to motor racing after having his legs amputated after a Formula 4 crash.
Others shortlisted were triple European sprint champion Dina AsherSmith, English cricket’s record test wicket taker James Anderson and double Olympic skeleton champion Lizzy Yarnold.
Gareth Southgate, who led England to the FIFA World Cup semifinals, won coach of the year, while the England women’s netballers who took Commonwealth Games gold won team of the year. — Reuters