If you haven't read the first part of this blog, click here for the first five sportspeople I think should be included in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist, which is due to be released on November 24th.
Gareth Bale (Football)
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| Bale has made a brilliant transition to La Liga |
The Welsh wing wizard stands football's best chance of winning the top gong since countryman Ryan Giggs took the prize in 2009. The world's most expensive player's 2014 form suggests Real Madrid were right to spend such an amount on him. After an inauspicious start at the Bernabeu, struggling with injury, Bale has quickly become one of his team's most consistent and exciting players. He scored goals in both the Copa del Rey and Champions League finals, and was instrumental in his side's Super Cup victory in September. Since moving to Spain, he's averaging a goal in less than every two games, easily the most potent his strike rate has been at any stage in his career. He also saved his international team from embarassment in Euro 2016 qualifying, scoring both goals in a narrow 2-1 victory over minnows Andorra.
Fran Halsall (Swimming)
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| 2014 has been a great year for Fran Halsall |
A long standing member of the British and English swimming teams despite being just 24, Halsall has had one of her best years in 2014. She was at the forefront of the British revival at the European championships in Berlin as Team GB returned to form in their biggest event since the disappointment of London 2012. She won both 50m freestyle and backstroke events, and picked up another sprint double at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where she won the 50m freestyle and butterfly events. Back in Germany, she was part of the 4 x 100m mixed medley team that broke the world and European records by over two and four seconds respectively.
Max Whitlock (Gymnastics)
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| Max with one of his Commonwealth gold medals |
Max Whitlock is another athlete whose success belies his young age. The 21-year-old has had another stellar year on and off the mat for Great Britain and England. He won three gold medals at Glasgow 2014 - in the team, floor and all around events - and topped these off with a silver in the pommel horse and bronze in the parallel bars. He also won European gold in Bulgaria in his favoured pommel horse event, beating the Hungarian Olympic champion Krisztian Berki, and came a close second in the all-around event at the World Championships in China. His performances are getting stronger, with 2014 being his most decorated year to date.
Paul Wellens (Rugby League)
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| Rugby league veteran Paul Wellens |
The St Helens and former England full back captained his club to a Super League Grand Final and League Leaders' Shield double in 2014. The one club man has become a legend both in Saints and Super League history, now picking up titles in three decades. This season, he also moved past the 1,000 points scored margin, and is the player with most Super League appearances under his belt. He has joined the England coaching staff but he has not yet retired from the game he has served for so long.
Kelly Gallagher (Skiing)
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| History maker Kelly Gallagher |
The Northern Irish skier created history back in February by becoming the first British athlete to win Winter Paralympic gold as she won the Super-G event for visually impaired athletes with the help of sight guide Charlotte Evans. Her performance in Sochi (and that of the Paralympic team in general) showed vast improvement from the Vancouver Games four years earlier when no medals were won. Gallagher was the closest on that occasion, finishing fourth in the giant slalom. Similarly to Lizzy Yarnold, Kelly's success bodes well for the future of Paralympic winter sports in the UK as funding has been increased given the team surpassing their medals target. She was made an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list following her success.
It is always hard cutting down a list of sporting achievements to find a shortlist, and I for one don't envy the panel who are drawing up the real shortlist. How do you separate achievements in mainstream sports like football and tennis, where money is no object, and success to an extent is expected, to sports like skiing, where money is at a premium? Some athletes narrowly missed out on being profiled in my two blogs, but I feel it's right to include them as they have all had great years.
Honourable mentions
JACK LAUGHER: The diver from Leeds has been the star performer in the British team this year - he won two golds at Glasgow 2014 and his synchro partnership with Chris Mears is improving year on year.
EILIDH CHILD: Hurdler Child has a brilliant chance of being shortlisted for her European Championship gold winning performance in the 400m in Zurich this year. She also captured a memorable silver medal in the same event at her home Commonwealth Games in Scotland.
GREG RUTHERFORD: The long jumper is another strong contender for the award longlist. He captured both European and Commonwealth titles for the first time this year, and holds the British record in his event.
JONNY WILKINSON: The England legend bowed out of rugby union in some style this year, playing a key role in Toulon's victories in the Heineken Cup and the Top 14 finals, in which he scored a lion's share of the points in his final games as a player.
HANNAH MILEY: The Scottish swimmer set a new Games record while winning gold in the 400m medley at the Commonwealths.
DANNY BROUGH: The Huddersfield Giants and Scotland captain topped the Super League points scored and assist tables this season and led his country to a first European title, despite being the lowest ranked nation of the four teams involved.
ROSS MURDOCH: The swimmer burst onto the international stage this by winning medals of all colours at the European Championships and Commonwealth Games, but his best and most surprising moment came when he beat Glasgow 2014 poster boy and compatriot Michael Jamieson to gold in the 200m breaststroke.
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