BBC Sports Personality of the Year LIVE: Keely Hodgkinson crowned 2024 SPOTY winner at Salford awards ceremony
The 71st edition of the awards takes place in Salford this evening, with Hodgkinson and Luke Littler among the favourites
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Your support makes all the difference.Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson was voted the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year for 2024.
The award caps a brilliant 12 months for the 22-year-old in which she claimed gold at the Paris Olympics, successfully defended her European title and set a new British record of one minute 54.61 seconds that made her the sixth fastest woman in history.
Littler came second in the public vote, while England cricket star Joe Root took the third place prize at Tuesday’s ceremony in Salford.
Hodgkinson’s success makes it an unprecedented four years in a row that the award has been won by a woman, following Mary Earps in 2023, Beth Mead in 2022 and Emma Raducanu in 2021.
Mark Cavendish won the lifetime achievement award after breaking the record for most Tour de France stage wins in July, while there were gongs for the young sports personality (Luke Littler), the best overseas sportsperson (Mondo Duplantis), the team of the year (Wigan Warriors) and more.
Ellie Kildunne: “ love my team and I love the way we are playing"
Women’s world player of the year Ellie Kildunne also spoke to the BBC earlier.
“I think this year I have understood what it means to be playing rugby and the happiness that it brings,” she said.
“I love my team and I love the way we are playing because I love what we are doing.”
On England’s World Cup chances next year, she added: “As soon as the last World Cup finished I was ready for the next one to start. Personally it was the best thing that happened to me losing that final as a fire was reignited. We are ready for it whenever it comes.
“Everyone keeps saying it is going to be the moment and I keep getting asked “What is going to happen after?”
“I hope it exceeds my imagination. I think we are on the right track for that to happen.”
Unsung Hero award
It is now time for the Unsung Hero award, which celebrates the best volunteers, whose work makes a difference in communities across the UK. The shortlist included 15 national and regional nominees.
The winner is Jean Paton – the 90-year-old has volunteered at the Salterns Sailing Club in Lymington, Hampshire for almost 40 years!
Storey: “ I really love a challenge"
Sarah Storey starts by explaining why her leg is in a protective boot, saying: “I was training and I tripped and broke my ankle. I did it two weeks ago, but I’m doing rehab like a crazy woman”. Â
On the sport, she says: “I absolutely love it. It’s something about what sport gives you, about what it gives other people.Â
“I have not had the conversation [about going to LA 2028]. I really love a challenge, and they [my kids] really love to be part of a big team, so we’ll hopefully be putting together a plan once I’m a bit better, to see what it takes.”
Sports Personality of the Year LIVE
The Paralympics events are in the next montage, where Team GB won 124 medals – 49 gold, 44 silver and 31 bronze. They were second behind China in the table, and won medals in 18 of the 19 sports they took part in.
Sarah Storey is the next montage – the 47-year-old won her 18th and 19th Paralympic medals in the summer, in cycling, having won her first in swimming in 1992!
Sports Personality of the Year LIVE
A few more montages here, firstly for tennis, where Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have firmly cemented their places as the leaders of the next generation.
The next comes for football, reflecting on another Premier League title for Manchester City, a WSL title for Chelsea and Manchester United’s FA Cup men’s and women’s double.
Yee: “It was all about not giving up"
Yee is also at the ceremony and he spoke to Alex Scott. He says that his win “was all bout not giving up”.
“These guys [his family] have taught me never to give up and never to give in. To give my best.
On Brownlee giving him encouragement mid-race, he says: “He must’ve had the most incredible accreditation! He shouted to me, anything can happen mate, and don’t give up.
“I’ve come such a long way, worked so hard, but I don’t want to settle.
“I wanted to lie my head on that pillow at the end of the day and say I gave it my all.
He finishes by saying that he still has “LA firmly in my sights”.
Sports Personality of the Year LIVE
The next montage comes for Alex Yee, who won a memorable triathlon gold at Paris 2024. He was also crowned world triathlon champion, as well as winning team bronze in Paris.
Hodgkinson: “Growing up I always knew I had a talent"
Keely Hodgkinson is at the ceremony, and she speaks to Gabby Logan.
“Growing up I always knew I had a talent in the sport. I get the best out of my self when I have something to aim for,” she said.
“I took great inspiration from Jessica Ennis-Hill at London 2012. You start to dream into your teenage years.”
On winning gold after her silver in Tokyo, she added: “There is a definitely a difference. The blonde hair stands out the most! It has been amazing since Paris.
“It is crazy to think that a little girl has watched that and been inspired to get into athletics.”
Sports Personality of the Year LIVE
The next montage comes after an emotional speech from Sir Chris Hoy, who praises Team GB’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
The montage is for Keely Hodgkinson, who won gold in the women’s 800m final at Paris 2024.
Prince: “I am not often short of words"
Helen Rollason award winner Dr Mark Prince says that he is “not often short of words I am always up and motivating other people and this is really overwhelming for me.
“I want to let Nikki Rollason know that this is such a blessing receiving this award in your mum’s name - your mum was an awesome individual,” he adds.
“I don’t often talk about being proud of myself and I am so driven no matter how many kids I help. I just want to go to the next person, but I am proud of the fact when at a time there seemed to be no hope I kept believing and that Jesus Christ my saviour was going to do great things.
“I am proud of the fact I didn’t give in to revenge.
“God has given us a choice and we can choose no matter what happens to us we have a power of choice.
“We can choose how we deal with it.
“We have not got the choice of what happens, but the choice of how we deal with it.”
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