Sports Personality of the Year 2014: How can you compare levels of sporting genius?
Hamilton, McIlroy or Bale? Objectivity will go out of the window at tonight’s Sports Personality of the Year, writes Kevin Garside
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.How to weigh the achievements of a 25-year-old champion golfer against the deeds of a 41-year-old mum on the track?
How to judge the merit of a racing driver skimming kerbs at 200mph against a swimmer who spends eight hours a day ploughing through water to win a medal in 26 seconds?
The truth is you can’t. Objectivity goes out of the window and we are left with an emotional attachment to one sporting genius or another. Each of the candidates shortlisted for tonight’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year beauty contest in Glasgow, from Rory McIlroy to Jo Pavey, from Lewis Hamilton to Adam Peaty has a talent way out of the ordinary, by a factor of zillions beyond the potential of the man or woman in the street.
Visibility is often the deciding factor. The public is exposed to hours of golf and Formula One coverage denied the likes of Lizzy Yarnold on her skeleton bob or Paralympic skiers Kelly Gallagher and Charlotte Evans, not to mention Charlotte Dujardin, the dressage rider.
There is no doubt that McIlroy’s achievements this year are rare, unprecedented even for a British golfer. In claiming the Open Championship, his third major, the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, his first world golf championship title, and the US PGA Championship in successive events, McIlroy entered fable. And then there was his leading role at the Ryder Cup, during which he smashed Rickie Fowler in the singles.
On reflection, winning the Claret Jug for the first time at Hoylake is his personal highlight. “I think at the time, I didn’t really appreciate it. I did in a way, of the win itself, but seeing that Claret Jug now is just very special.
“Even though I haven’t had much time to reflect on it because it has been such a busy year, I still look back at that week and it’s what I am most proud of. Going in, there were a lot of questions. ‘How is he going to play? Links golf isn’t really his forte. How is he going to do on a Friday?’ All this sort of stuff.
“And the one thing that will stand out to me, above all other things this year, is having my mum at the back of that 18th green at the Open. My mum just being there, witnessing it all, was very special.”
Now there’s a vote-winner if ever there was one.
Hamilton was watched by his father and stepmum when he claimed his second world championship in Abu Dhabi last month, only the fourth Briton to pull that off and the first in more than 40 years. Not only that, he had to beat a competitive team-mate to do it.
Nico Rosberg was the better qualifier, demonstrating the lengths Hamilton had to go to reach the summit. His 11 race victories have been bettered by only two drivers, Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, and both enjoyed No 1 status at Ferrari and Red Bull.
There is no better barometer of the public mood than the bookie. McIlroy’s odds on status suggests he will be voted sports personality of the year by a landslide. Again this does not mean he is the more deserving, though he might be that, too.
Golf, given its central place in the summer canon, is overdue. Sir Nick Faldo, only golf’s second winner after Dai Rees in 1957, was sport’s darling of 1989. And McIlroy is an engaging character in a way Faldo never was.
Damon Hill was Formula One’s last winner, one of only three people to win the crown twice alongside Nigel Mansell and boxer Henry Cooper. Hamilton has twice finished second, in his debut year of 2007 and his championship winning year of 2008. A third runner-up finish would be unprecedented.
Third in the betting is Gareth Bale. It is a paradox that football, the sport given easily the most media coverage, does so poorly in this end of year pageant. If we were voting in May when the football season ends, the Welsh galactico might have had a better chance, having just taken part in Real Madrid’s 10th European Cup success, La Decima.
Tonight, it looks like Bale will have to make do with a walk-on part, delivered by video link at that.
--
... and coming up on the inside lane - the other contenders
Jo Pavey: Became the oldest female European champion at 40 years and 325 days.
Lizzy Yarnold: Skeleton gold at Sochi Winter Olympics.
Adam Peaty: Swimmer won two golds at the Commonwealth Games.
Charlotte Dujardin: Rider holds all three dressage world records.
Kelly Gallagher: Visually impaired skier and her guide Charlotte Evans won Britain’s first Winter Paralympic gold at Sochi.
Carl Froch: Retained his IBF and WBA super-middleweight titles against bitter rival George Groves.
Max Whitlock: Gymnast picked up medals in the World, European and British Championships and at the Commonwealth Games.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments