Recognising the year’s sporting achievements

espite capturing the nation’s hearts on the court, Andy Murray has for a long time had to put up with being labelled ‘boring.’ And if the bookies’ odds are anything to go by, the superb Scot is now threatening to make the BBC’s annual sports awards show a little predictable too. No one has ever won the

award three times, but Murray is oddson favourite to win it for the third time in four years. Murray won his first Sports Personality award in 2013, the year he ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s champion at Wimbledon. He lost out to Lewis Hamilton in 2014 but recovered the title last year by guiding GB to their first Davis Cup triumph in 79 years. If anything, Murray has enjoyed an even better season this year, He has won 90 per cent of his matches, as well lifting titles at Wimbledon, the Olympics, the ATP World Tour Finals and finishing the season as the world No.1. In an Olympic and Paralympic year, there were always going to be quite a few contenders from Team GB after a record haul of gold medals in Rio. A strong case can be made for the likes of cyclists Laura Kenny, Jason Kenny and Dame Sarah Storey, swimmer Adam Peaty, hockey star Kate RichardsonWalsh, equestrianists Nick Skelton and Sophie Christiansen, athletes Mo Farah and Kadeena Cox, gymnast Max Whitlock and boxer Nicola Adams. All of the above won gold in Rio, and in most other years would walk away with the SPOTY title. Also in contention are Danny Willett, the Yorkshire golfer who won the Masters back in April, as well as two footballers – Jamie Vardy, who was named Player of Year after scoring the goals that took Leicester City to their first ever Premier League crown, and Gareth Bale whose heroics alongside his Welsh teammates took them all to the way to the semi-finals at the Euros in France. However, Murray’s main rival for the title this year is likely to be one of his fellow Olympians Alistair Brownlee – the first triathlete to be nominated for the award. Brownlee retained the men's triathlon title in Rio, finishing ahead of brother Jonny, who claimed the silver. This year’s star-studded event is being held in Birmingham, where Gary Lineker, Clare Balding and Gabby Logan relive the year's greatest moments, before presenting the trophy to a winner chosen by viewers on the night.