We take a look at all the nominations for Sports Personality of the Year award 2020 and argue which sportsperson deserves the prestigious accolade.
LEWIS HAMILTON
by Jack Vines
Being a World Champion in any sport is an achievement in its own right, but to do it on seven occasions and to level the record for the most titles in the sport, Lewis Hamilton deserves to be Sports Personality of the Year.
2020 has also been his most dominant in F1, with the impeccable drive at the Turkish Grand Prix epitomising Lewis’ skill and determination in the cockpit.
He now holds the record for most wins in F1, a significant sporting achievement that he is still in pole position to add to.
Outside of the car, Lewis has also been at the forefront of kicking off important conversations in the F1 paddock about a lack of diversity in the sport, amongst the drives all the way to team personnel.
Not only has Hamilton himself established a Commission to aid minorities into STEM subjects, but his efforts have also led to his team, Mercedes, and Formula One themselves to do their bit.
HOLLIE DOYLE
by Gemma Walsh
Despite everything that has happened this year, jockey Hollie Doyle has gone on to win races, smash records, and break misconceptions about woman in her sport.
In October at the QIPCO British Champions Day she bagged herself a double victory; with a thrilling photo-finish in her first ever Group 1 winner in the Sprint Stakes riding Glen Shiel, as well as claiming the Long Distance Cup on four-year-old Trueshan. She also placed second in two other races on the day.
But her impressive year doesn’t end there. Alongside securing her first win at Royal Ascot (and being third ever woman to do so), Doyle also finished 4th in the Flat Jockeys’ Championship and currently holds a personal best of 136 wins for this year.
Those are some pretty impressive statistics in a previously male dominated sport – did I mention that she is still only 24 years old? And while she is smashing history books she also spoken publicly about opening the small community of racing up to a wider audience.
Doyle has already being awarded The Sunday Times’ Sportswoman of the Year in November and if all that skill, tenacity and passion she possesses doesn’t make a SPOTY then I don’t know what will.
STUART BROAD
by Oliver Toms
As a team England had a thoroughly average summer, beating West Indies 2-1 and Pakistan 1-0 in test series, and losing an ODI series against Australia. Stuart Broad on the other hand had a summer to remember.
Most importantly he achieved a career milestone of 500 test wickets, being only the fourth fast bowler to do so and the seventh highest wicket taker in cricket history.
Broad also reached this milestone in style, as part of an excellent performance in the third test against West Indies with bowling figures of 67-10 and also hitting a half century.
What really makes Broad a contender for SPOTY is that he wasn’t picked for the first test. Broad bounced back from this to have one of his best performing summers of his career, showing that determination and perseverance is still crucial for any athletes.
TYSON FURY
by Declan Hatchell
Tyson Fury, the “Gypsy King”, undefeated WBC and Ring Magazine World Heavyweight Champion is a worthy contender for Sports Personality of the Year.
The nomination comes after his 7-round boxing masterclass over Deontay Wilder on 22nd February 2020.
Fury originally posted a video online to the BBC asking to be removed from the shortlist saying he was “the people’s champion”, therefore there was “no need for verification or any awards” with a formal request also put forward by his lawyers.
Yet, Fury has showcased why he is the best technical heavyweight boxer in British Boxing history, completely dismantling Wilder to win the WBC and Ring Magazine Heavyweight Championship, and remained undefeated with an extraordinary record of 30-0-1.
For Fury, humbled by his experiences battling depression and alcoholism, his victory and his SPOTY nomination are about much more than a boxing match.
It was a sign that no matter how far down you are, there is always a chance to get back up.
JORDAN HENDERSON
by Will Luker
The dedication from Jordan Henderson commands respect. Three decades of Premier League pain ended for Liverpool through his role as commander in chief.
A box-to-box midfielder, tactically astute, a Champions League, a FIFA Club World Cup and a Premier League all achieved in one year under his leadership. Five years of hard work under Jurgen Klopp, the manager has got the best out of all his players but without a doubt in Henderson we have the best club captain in world football.
Off the pitch the city breaths football. Community – the one word you have to attach to Jordan Henderson during this year of all years. Funding millions for the NHS, supportive words for an LGBT fan, speaking sensibly about the political world we live in, he is a personality worthy to the human side of sport.
Jordan Henderson deserves to be crowned the 2020 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN
by Dan Rodenby
Ronnie O’Sullivan is a genius. 1000+ career century breaks. 37 titles. World champion at 44-years-old. I could go on all day.
It’s astonishing it has taken this long for ‘Rocket Ronnie’ to be nominated for the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year award.
Whether you like snooker or not, nobody can dispute his talent and he will go down as the greatest player to ever play the sport.
Arrogance, swagger, controversial interviews, bags of skill – he has it all.
On odd occasions, you get certain people that just transform a sport and bring in whole new audiences – Federer in tennis, Biles in gymnastics, Messi in football – and O’Sullivan in snooker undeniably.
Ronnie O’Sullivan is a joy to watch, makes an incredibly tough game look so easy and it’s about time his world class talent was finally recognised on the big stage.
ALREADY A WINNER – MARCUS RASHFORD
by Daniel Hall
Marcus Rashford will be awarded a Special BBC award at this years’ Sports Personality of the Year ceremony.
The Panel Special Award will commend Rashford’s campaign to raise awareness of child food poverty. His work meant that more than 1.3 million children were able to claim free school meal vouchers during school holidays, and forced the government to make a u-turn on their school meals policy.
Rashford has also been added to the Football Black List, an annual ceremony which celebrates the most influential black people in the British football community.
The awards follow on from an MBE which he received in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Rashford scored 17 Premier League goals in the 2019/20 season to fire Manchester United into this season’s Champions League. He is the competition’s joint top scorer with 6 goals, though United have not made it through to the last 16. Rashford has a further five goals in the Premier League.