Who should be on the BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist? Part 2

By Steven Oldham

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)

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)

 

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)

 

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)

 

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)

 

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.

 

MORE  READING:

 

Who should be on the BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist? Part 1

 

Five mid-ranking countries who need to take advantage of extra Euro 2016 places

 

Glasgow 2014: DAY 6: England dominate gymnastics team events, Canada rack up the medals, Kenya lock out long distance podium

 

Glasgow 2014: DAY 1: Hosts Scotland off to golden start as 20th Commonwealth Games get under way

 

Glasgow 2014 - Commonwealth Games Sports Guide: Gymnastics



Who should be on the BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist? Part 1

By Steven Oldham

It's almost that time of year again. A month today, we will know who has succeeded Andy Murray as the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. 

Pleasingly, there is no shortage of contenders this year, with standout performers in big sporting occasions including the Winter Olympics, Ryder Cup, Commonwealth Games and continental championships in a number of sports.

While the award is seen as old fashioned and irrelevant in some quarters, it still manages to attract A-list stars from all sports to the ceremony and remains a strong ratings winner among the general public.

The official shortlist of contenders is not due til late November, but here I look at who could and should be in the running.

Jo Pavey (Athletics)

European 10,000m champion Jo Pavey
 

The distance runner from Devon should be a certainty for this year's shortlist - and among the favourites to win. She was crowned European 10,000m champion at the age of 40 after a memorable victory in Zurich earlier this year. What's even more is impressive is she gave birth just ten months earlier. That she is still competing at such a competitive level is an inspiration to other athletes - both elite and amateur - who retire or think they are past their best. For this alone she should be included as one of the award's criteria is the impact the athlete has had beyond their achievement. As well as her European title, she also picked up a Commonwealth bronze in Glasgow in the same event just ten days later.

Rory McIlroy (Golf)

2014 has been a standout year for McIlroy
 

Rory McIlroy's stunning year is the perfect antidote to an off-par 2013.  He won the Open Championship for the first time, PGA Championship for a second time and helped Europe to a third consecutive Ryder Cup win. In addition to this he has already been named PGA Player of the Year and returned to number one in the world rankings, a position he has held since May. Rather than affecting him negatively, his romantic split from tennis star Caroline Wozniacki seems to have invigorated his form on the green.  He also settled the debate on which country he will represent at the Olympics in 2016 should he qualify. He'll play for Ireland rather than Great Britain as golf returns to the Olympic programme for the first time in over a century.

 

Claudia Fragapane (Gymnastics)

Fragapane has burst onto the international gymnastics scene in 2014

 

The teenager is eligible to win the Young Sports Personality trophy, but her achievements in 2014 are worth a nomination for the main award.  In her first year of senior competition, she has represented her country at European and international level. She was one of the stars of Glasgow 2014 - taking four gold medals in both team and individual events - all at aged 16 - she only turned 17 in October.  This made her the most successful English female competitor at the Commonwealth Games in over 80 years. She also scored European and British silver medals and if she continues her current rate of progress, could be a leading star for Team GB in the Rio 2016 Olympics.

 

 

Lewis Hamilton (Motor racing)

 

Lewis is one race away from being a double champion

 

 At the time of writing Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton is one race away from winning his second world title. Should he triumph, he will become only the fourth Brit to win more than one world title at motor racing's highest table. He now owns the record for most British victories, with 32 surpassing Nigel Mansell's previous best which has stood for over 20 years. In every race he has finished, he has stepped onto the podium. A crucial five straight victories in the latter part of the season has helped him catch and overtake Mercedes team mate and title rival Nico Rosberg. The pairing have both contribute to their dominant team racking up the most points by one constructor in a season in history with a hefty 86 points still available in the final race in Abu Dhabi, where double points are controversially awarded for the first time.

 



 

 Lizzy Yarnold (Skeleton)

 

Team GB's sole gold medallist in Sochi: Lizzy Yarnold

 



Lizzy Yarnold continued Team GB's proud record in the skeleton event at the Winter Olympics in Sochi in February as she won the same title as compatriot Amy Williams did four years earlier. Despite not being an atypical winter sports country, this was the fourth consecutive Games a British woman has stepped onto the podium in this event. Her triumph was the highlight of a successful Games for Britain, who enjoyed their best Games since 1924 with four medals. Largely down to her success, UK Sport funding for skeleton was almost doubled for the next Olympic cycle to the Pyeongchang Games in 2018, as part of a record level investment in winter sports following the British Olympic and Paralympic teams outperforming targets with a total of ten medals. And Yarnold? She wants to defend her title in Korea.

 

You can read part two of this blog HERE

 

MORE READING:

 

Five mid-ranking countries who need to take advantage of extra Euro 2016 places

 

Glasgow 2014: DAY 9: Gymnast Claudia Fragapane wins fourth gold, bowls success for Scotland, Sally Pearson wins hurdles gold for Australia

 

England's Helen Clitheroe not retiring after Commonwealth Games...but risks being 'strung up' if she guns for Rio 2016!

 

Who will be the next driver to win his first F1 race after Daniel Ricciardo's Montreal success?

 

"Legacy? What legacy?" ask British basketballers, weightlifters and water polo players as UK Sport funding withdrawn

 



Glasgow 2014: DAY 9: Gymnast Claudia Fragapane wins fourth gold, bowls success for Scotland, Sally Pearson wins hurdles gold for Australia

Claudia Fragapane wins her fourth gold of Glasgow 2014 (BBC Sport)

By Steven Oldham MISS DAY 8 HIGHLIGHTS? CLICK HERE
 
Teenage gymnast Claudia Fragapane won her fourth gold medal of Glasgow 2014 today, by taking victory on the floor, and in doing so became the first woman in 84 years to win as many golds for England.
 
She had previously won the vault, all around and team all around gold earlier in the week and the 16-year-old contributed to a highly successful gymnastics programme for the Home Nations, with England, Scotland and Wales all picking up medals.
 

Fragapane's gold medals are proving crucial to her country as England continue to lead the medals table from Australia and Canada.
 
Fellow gymnast Nile Wilson opened his invidiual gold account by beating team-mate Kristian Thomas to the horizontal bar competition.
 
Divers Jack Laugher and Chris Mears added another top medal in the 3m synchro event, with team-mates Nick Robinson-Baker and Freddie Woodward picking up bronze in the same event.
 
Steve Lewis added gold in the pole vault, with Tiffany Porter claiming silver in the 100m hurdles.
 

Darren Burnett is the men's singles winner (Jeff Holmes)

 

Host nation Scotland enjoyed another successful day on the bowling green, picking up two more gold medals.
 
Darren Burnett won the men's singles competition by easily beating Canada's Ryan Bester 21-9, while the mens' fours beat England 16-8 to secure their title.
 
Gymnast Daniel Purvis took his first Commonwealth title by winning the parallel bars from English pair Nile Wilson and Max Whitlock.
 
Runner Lynsey Sharp also put in a stunning performance to break up the African monopoly in the 800m, taking silver behind Kenya's Eunice Sum.

Reigning champion Moses Kipsiro took a grandstand finish in the 10,000m
(Uganda Records)

 
 Uganda won their first gold medal of the 2014 Games as Moses Kipsoro retained his 10,000m title in an incredibly close race.

Kipsiro had trailed Canada's Cameron Levins into the final straight but both he and Kenya's Josphat Bett managed to beat the man from North America across the line.

Kipsiro won the race by just 0.03 seconds, the closest margin at this Games, closer than Kemar Bailey Cole's 0.10 gap to Adam Gemili in the 100m.

Double Commonwealth champion Sally Pearson celebrates
(Fox Sports News)

Olympic champion Sally Pearson was Australia's star performer on day nine, taking the 100m hurdles final ahead of England's Tiffany Porter and Angela Whyte of Canada.

In doing so she retained the title she won four years ago in Delhi, India.

There was also gold for Eleanor Patterson in the high jump, and divers Matthew Mitcham and Dominic Beddggod took the 10m synchro title.

Olympic champion Mitcham now finally has a gold Commonwealth to add to his collection, having won four silver medals in the last Games four years ago.

Tianwei Feng win's womens singles gold (BBC Sport)

Singapore continue to do well in table tennis, winning both the women's singles and men's doubles events today.

Indeed, their women locked out the podium, with Delhi champion Tianwei Feng retaining her title by beating Mengyu Yu 4-1 in the final. Ye Lin took bronze ahead of Australian Jian Fang Lay.

Gao Ning and Li Hu are the new men's doubles champions after they beat Indian pair Sharath Achanta and Amalraj Arputharaj 3-1.

CLICK HERE FOR COMMONWEALTH GAMES HOMEPAGE



DAY 9 DIGEST IN 60 SECONDS...

• Kenya's impressive form in the distance running events continues. They locked out the podium in the men's 3000m steeplechase with Jonathan Ndiku taking gold.
• There was a first medal for St Lucia today. Levern Spencer took bronze in the high jump - matching her achievement from Delhi, where she was again her country's only medallist
• Usain Bolt helped Jamaica through to the final of the men's 4x100m relay
• South Africa added another gold medal; Tracy-Lee Botha and Colleen Piketh won the women's pairs.
• Jennifer Abel was another athlete to retain a title won in India four years ago - she picked up gold for Canada in the 1m springboard diving event.

Glasgow 2014: DAY 8: David Rudisha upstaged by Botswana's Nijel Amos, Daniel Keatings secures individual gold for Scotland, England pull ahead in medal table

Nigel Amos beats favourite David Rudisha (Eurosport)

By Steven Oldham

Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha had to settle for silver today as Botswana's 20-year-old Nijel Amos upstaged his more illustrious rival at Hampden Park.

Amos scored Botswana's first medal of any colour by taking the 800m title, an upgrade of the Olympic silver he won in London two years ago behind Kenya's Rudisha.

This result nicely sets up future clashes between the two, a battle which is sure to continue until the next Olympics in two years time.




Scotland's Daniel Keatings on the way to gold (BBC Sport Scotland)

Scotland again tasted gold with Daniel Keatings taking the men's pommel horse ahead of England's Max Whitlock and Louis Smith.

Eilidh Child took silver in the women's 400m while Alex Gladkov took bronze in wrestling in the 65kg weight class.





Claudia Fragapane, 16, is already a 3x CWG champion (Guardian Sport)

England enjoyed another successful day and continue to lead the medal table past the halfway stage.

Gymnastics continues to be a happy hunting ground and Max Whitlock and Claudia Fragapane both won their third gold medal in the floor and vault events respectively.  

Rebecca Downie's victory in the uneven bars - her second gold - mean the English have locked out every gold medal available in the women's events.

David Weir added a first Commonwealth gold to his Paralympic title in the T54 1500m in Hampden Park, while cyclist Alex Dowsett won the men's time trial after missing out on the Tour de France.

There was also success on the bowling green for the women's triples who took gold by thrashing Australia 22-4.

India's Yogeshwar Dutt celebrates another gold (Economic Times)

India continue to do well in wrestling and also picked up a first gold medal in athletics today.

Yogeshwar Dutt (65kg) has stepped up a weight class since winning Commonwealth gold on home soil, but like compatriot Sushil Kumar the result stayed the same and he won gold today beating Canada's Jevon Dalfour in the final.

Babita Kumari secured a first major international gold by winning the women's 55kg from Brittanee Laverdure of Canada, while discus thrower Vikas Shive Gowda improved his silver to gold four years on.

Meaghan Benefito wins two gold in as many days (BBC Sport)



Canada had another successful day picking up gold in weightlifting, diving and wrestling.

George Kobaladze broke the Games clean and jerk record by lifting 229kg on his way to winning the men's heavyweight weightlifting competition.

Diver Meaghan Benefito won the 10m platform and her team-mate Roseline Filion took bronze a day after they won  gold in synchro at the same height.

The Canadians shared the spoils with India today with both nations winning two gold medals. Tamerlan Tagziev (men's 85kg) and Danielle Lappage (women's 63kg) have helped Canada to seven gold medals in wrestling this time, three more than in Delhi.

DAY 8 DIGEST IN 60 SECONDS...

• Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare took a sprint double by taking the women's 200m
• Geraint Thomas took bronze for Wales in the men's time trial ahead of Sunday's road race
• Malaysia's Ooi Tze Liang took the men's 3m springboard ahead of English pair Jack Laugher and Oliver Dingley
• They may only have two medals so far but Northern Ireland are set for a bumper Friday with NINE medals guaranteed in boxing
• Linda Villumsen took gold in the women's time trial for New Zealand; she had previously won silver in Delhi four years ago.

Glasgow 2014: DAY 6: England dominate gymnastics team events, Canada rack up the medals, Kenya lock out long distance podium

England's gold-winning gymnasts (BBC Sport)

By Steven Oldham MISS DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS? CLICK HERE

England dominated the gymnastic events today, taking gold in both the men's and women's team events.

A returning Louis Smith helped the men to gold in his first competition since the London 2012 Olympics.

Smith, Kristian Thomas, Max Whitlock, Nile Wilson and Sam Oldham - who missed two rotations due to an injury sustained in the vault - took England's first gold in this event since 2002 ahead of Scotland and Canada.

Hours later, the women's team matched their male counterparts by beating Australia and Wales to gold.

Rebecca Downie, Claudia Fragapane, Ruby Harrold, Hannah Whelan and Kelly Simm kept it clean and made the most of an error-prone display by Australia to take home the title.

In the pool, Ben Proud won his second gold medal of the Games by taking the 50m freestyle competition to add to the butterfly title he won over the same length.

There was also success for the men's 4x100m relay team who beat Australia to win gold in the final event in the pool.

Catherine Pendrel on her way to gold for Canada (@sarahtweetering)

Canada enjoyed their best day at Glasgow 2014 yet, picking up gold in athletics, cycling, weightlifting and wrestling and moved up to third in the medal table ahead of Scotland.

Jim Steacy matched Sultana Frizzell by winning the hammer event ahead of England's Nick Miller and Scotland's Mark Dry.

Damien Warner took the men's decathlon, while Catherine Pendrel won took the women's cross country cycling event ahead of team-mate Emily Batty.

Korey Jarvis also won gold for the Canadians in the 125kg, four years after he took silver in the 96kg event in Delhi. Marie-Ève Beauchemin-Nadeau also took weightlifting gold.

Kenya's dominant 10,000m runners (@VOASonnySports)

Kenya enjoyed another successful day in track and field, including a clean sweep of the podium in the women's 10,000m.

Joyce Chepkirui took the gold ahead of team-mates Florence Kiplagat and Emily Chebet.

Faith Kibiegon took victory in the women's 1500m but Hellen Obiri surprisingly missed out on a medal in the same event.

Sushil Kumar is now a 2x Commonwealth champion (@TheRSSPiyussh)        

India continued their strong pedigree in wrestling today with three gold medals, in the women's 48kg and men's 57kg and 74kg weight classes.

Sushil Kumar (74kg) has stepped up a weight since Delhi but the result remained the same, as he took victory over Pakistan's Qamar Abbas.



New 110m hurdle champion Andrew Riley (@TweetCam2014)



Jamaica are top ten on the medal table mostly due to their performance in athletics, and today they added titles in men's hurdles, and women's triple jump and 400m.

Not to be outdone by Kenya, the Jamaicans dominated the 400m and took all three places on the podium with Stephanie McPherson beating Novolene Williams-Mills and Christine Day to the title.
Kimberley Williams took triple jump gold, while Andrew Riley held off England's William Sharman to take the 110m hurdles.

DAY SIX DIGEST IN 60 SECONDS

• Scotland broke their medal record today with silver in gymnastics, swimming and shooting.
• Georgia Davies handed Wales a second gold in the pool after the country had waited 40 years for one.
  There was a first medal for Fiji, with weightlifter Apolonia Vaivai taking bronze in the women's 75kg weight class.
• Barbados also made their debut on the medal table with a bronze medal in the 110m hurdles for Shane Brathwaite
• Malta are still without a medal but it's not for a lack of effort. They missed out on bronze in wrestling today as David Galea lost to England's Mike Grundy in the 74kg freestyle.

Glasgow 2014 - Commonwealth Games Sports Guide: Gymnastics

By Steven Oldham

Click HERE for Commonwealth Games homepage

Gymnastics debuted at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada, but is only an optional sport at the Games and had to wait until 1990 to return.

Since then however it's appeared consistently and will also form part of the 2018 Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

Both artistic and rhythmic events will take place in Glasgow, with the latter being one of two all-women events at this year's Games.

WHEN?

Rhythmic starts the gymnastics competition from July 24-26, with medal events on all three days. The artistic programme runs from July 28-August 1. 

WHERE?

The gymnastics programme is one of six sports to take place at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in the city's west end.

WHO?

Artistic: Australia were the dominant force in Delhi last time out, taking twelve gold medals - more than every other team put together. They won both team events, often followed by England. Cyprus won 7 of their eleven medals in gymnastics.

Despite Australia's success at the Commonwealths, they failed to produce one medal in gymnastics at London 2012 and it was a below par Olympics from the team from Down Under.

British medal winners from London 2012 Louis Smith, Max Whitlock, Kristian Thomas and Sam Oldham (England), and Daniel Purvis (Scotland) are all in action, as well as double European and five times British champion Daniel Keatings for the home nation.

Rhythmic: Australia won the 2010 team, individual and ball events, but the only returning champion is all-rounder Danielle Prince. Cyprus won the ribbon and rope events but again, champion Chrystalleni Trikomiti is not involved so it is a chance for new gymnasts and potentially nations to get themselves on the medal table. Canada have historically been strong in this event.

LET ME SOUND LIKE I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT...

• Gymnasts compete in eight events for men, and six for women in artistic gymnastics.
• Alongside netball, rhythmic gymnastics is an all-women event. Rugby sevens is the only men-only sport at the Commonwealths.
• Women don't compete in the rings or pommel horse events.
• Judges look at both difficulty and executions, and gymnasts' final score are a combination of the two.

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Scotland's Dan Keatings wants Commonwealth gold on home soil
(telegraph.co.uk)