Andy is Sports Personality of Year
Andy Murray has been voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for a record third time. The win came at the end of a year in which Murray, 29, took Olympic gold, a second Wimbledon title and became world tennis No 1
Scottish tennis champion Andy Murray was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year last night – for the third time.
The 29-year-old claimed the award after winning Wimbledon, Olympic gold and finishing the season as the world’s top-ranked tennis player.
Murray, who did not attend the ceremony in Birmingham, accepted the award via a prerecorded video message. He thanked everyone who voted for him and the “sacrifices” made towards him by his sporting team.
“I’d like to thank everyone who voted. I really appreciate all of your support,” Murray said after being presented the award by former boxer Lennox Lewis, poolside in Miami.
“I’d obviously like to thank my team. They make a lot of sacrifices for me.
“I’d like to thank my family as well. I think my mum’s in the crowd there – thanks for all of your help. My dad just got married ten days ago. I miss you guys.
“I’d also like to say a huge thanks to my wife for all of her support over the years. And also my daughter who won’t know what this means yet but maybe in a few years she’ll appreciate it.
“It’s been an amazing year for British sport and I’m very proud to be a part of it.”
Murray revealed one of his biggest supporters had voted for a rival, saying: “I’ve got a bone to pick with my wife because she actually told me about an hour ago she’d voted for Nick Skelton.
“Not smart from her with Christmas coming up!”
It is the third time he has been awarded the title in four years. Triathlete Alistair Brownlee was second and showjumper Nick Skelton third.
The ceremony, which included a performance by singer Robbie Williams, also paid tribute to “the most unique of sporting champions” boxing legend Muhammad Ali.
Michael Phelps received the BBC Sports Personality lifetime achievement award after capping his career with five Olympic golds in Rio. An emotional Phelps told the audience “I retired with the greatest end of the year I could ever have dreamed of.” Team of the Year went to Leicester City football club. The team was met by chanting in the audience as they took to the stage to collect their award. The Helen Rollason Award was presented to runner and fundraiser Ben Smith.
The 34-year-old battled depression but recovered and ran 401 marathons in 401 days, a total of 10,506.2 miles, between September 2015 and October this year to raise money for charities Kidscape and Stonewall.