The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Thomas takes top prize as sport stars honoured
Lewis Hamilton second and Harry Kane third after viewers cast their votes
Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas has won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, beating Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton into second place, with England captain Harry Kane third.
The Spurs striker had been the preevent favourite but Thomas was a close second with the bookmakers and the 32-year-old Welshman came out on top when it mattered.
He becomes the fifth cyclist to win the award – the fourth in the last decade – and the fifth athlete from Wales.
The victory was the perfect end to a day that started pretty well, too, when he was given a replacement Tour trophy on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch – the original was stolen three months ago.
In a break with BBC tradition, the nominees for the main SPOTY award were not revealed until the start of the programme, which was broadcast live from Birmingham’s World Resorts Arena on BBC1.
Tyson Fury was the big omission on the six-strong list as he was the fourth favourite after his dramatic draw with Deontay Wilder earlier this month.
The other three names to make the SPOTY shortlist were England bowler James Anderson, sprinter Dina Ashersmith and two-time Olympic skeleton champion Lizzy Yarnold.
And while Fury did not win either the main prize or the greatest moment, he did deliver the best speech of the night, telling presenter Gary Lineker that he should be “the WBC champion and everyone knows it!”
The first prize dished out on the night went to Billy Monger, whose life changed forever when he had to have his legs amputated after an awful crash at Donington Park in 2017.
The 19-year-old, who returned to motorsport this year and finished a remarkable third in his first British F3 race, received the Helen Rollason Award from his hero Hamilton.
American tennis great Billie Jean King was given the lifetime achievement award by her friend Sue Barker. The 75-year-old, who won 39 grand slam titles, reminded the crowd of 10,000 at the Birmingham venue that she won her final professional title in the city in 1983.
Perhaps the least surprising winner was Gareth Southgate taking the Coach of the Year accolade following England’s surprising run to the World Cup’s last four. The 48-year-old received his trophy from David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and Ian Broudie, who had teamed up earlier to serenade him with a rendition of “Three Lions”.
Italian golfer Francesco Molinari was the winner of the overseas sports personality prize, which has been rebranded as World Sport Star of the Year and was decided by an online vote.
The Italian received his award from Tommy Fleetwood, with whom he formed a memorable partnership as Europe thrashed the United States at the Ryder Cup in Paris.
Molinari became the first European to win five out of five points in the team contest but also enjoyed solo success this season, winning twice on the US tour before becoming the first Italian major winner in the Open at Carnoustie.
Team of the Year went to the England netball side for their last-second triumph over Australia at the Commonwealth Games in April. Their buzzer-beating victory also won the greatest moment prize.