Daily Express

Farah KOs Joshua for Beeb award

- James Gray

MO FARAH provided a massive sporting shock as he was voted BBC Sports Personalit­y of the Year 2017 with Anthony Joshua and Lewis Hamilton both missing out on topthree spots.

Farah ended his track career this year having won 10 global gold medals, winning the world 10,000m in London but missing out on another distance double when he finished second in the 5,000m.

Joshua had been a huge 1-8 favourite to win the award and become the first boxer since Joe Calzaghe to do so.

Farah, who was not even in attendance on the night, was the surprise 25-1 winner ahead of three-time Superbike world championsh­ip winner Jonathan Rea and para-athlete Jonnie Peacock.

The result appeared to catch almost everyone by surprise as Farah clasped his face before the video feed connecting him to the ceremony cut out almost immediatel­y. His earlier interview had also been marred by technical difficulti­es, this time the overactivi­ty of his young son Hussein.

At the gala evening at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, nearly 11,000 people broke out into a standing ovation when Bradley Lowery, the six-year-old Sunderland fan who lost a long battle with cancer in July, was posthumous­ly honoured with the Helen Rollason Award for Achievemen­t in the face of adversity.

Roger Federer was also recognised with his fourth BBC Overseas Sports Personalit­y of the Year award.

But Federer was one of many athletes who failed to turn up for the occasion.

The BBC would have been thankful if the public played their part and voted for Joshua, one of the few highprofil­e nominees to turn up.

Jessica Ennis-Hill, above, was there and given a lifetime achievemen­t award.

 ??  ?? OVERSEAS WINNER: Tennis superstar Federer
OVERSEAS WINNER: Tennis superstar Federer
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