A SPOTY BOTHER AS FARAH KO’S JOSHUA
Farah stunned after topping Beeb votes
SIR MO FARAH handed Anthony Joshua his first defeat to win a farcical BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Farah beat red-hot favourite Joshua in a big upset – then the live TV link crashed between Sir Mo in London and the event at Liverpool’s Echo Arena.
SIR MO FARAH produced the biggest upset of his career to claim the Sports Personality of the Year award on a chaotic night for the BBC.
Farah was a 50-1 outsider but topped the poll ahead of world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, the red-hot favourite.
The multiple Olympic and world 5,000 and 10,000metres champion admits he had given up hope of ever winning SPOTY and thought he would do well to come third this year.
The live link to Farah in London went down seconds after he was named the winner by Kenny Dalglish, at Liverpool’s Echo Arena in a carcrash moment, prompting his coach Gary Lough to say, “That’s a f ***** g joke”.
When the link to Farah was restored, he said: “It’s amazing. I can’t stop staring at the trophy.
“I came out tonight, thinking maybe the top three and we’ll see how it goes, because we have got some amazing sports stars in the field – Joshua, Jonnie Peacock.
“The last 10 years, I’ve been lucky to have the career I’ve had. I’m shocked, I didn’t prepare any speech.
“I never thought, having come so close in 2012, that I would ever win. I just owe it to the public for supporting me. Just having my name on this trophy, like Seb Coe, David Beckham... so many legends have won it over the years.”
Farah’s shock win capped a shambolic SPOTY and his young son Hussein interrupted his live interview earlier when he messed with his microphone.
Farah revealed he could not attend the event as his son is poorly.
“It would have been nice to be there, but my family is my most important thing,” he said. Farah abruptly ended the interview to put his son to bed.
Ulster’s World Super Bike champion Jonathan Rea was a surprise runner-up with Paralympian Jonnie Peacock third.
Olympic and three-time world heptathlon champion Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill was a popular winner of the Lifetime Achievement award.
The most emotional moment came when Bradley Lowery’s mum Gemma, and dad Carl, received the Helen Rollason award for their brave little boy, who died of cancer in July, aged just six.
HOW they voted: Mo Farah 83,524 votes, Jonathan Rea 80,567, Jonnie Peacock 73,429, Anthony Joshua 73,411, Adam Peaty 63,739 Lewis Hamilton 60,627, Chris Froome 47,683, Harry Kane 18,759, Anya Shrubsole 15,237, Bianca Walkden 13,962, Johanna Konta 7,591, Elise Christie 6,504