Personality of the Year awards

DAVID HAYE (100-1)

IN years gone by, any British boxer with a world heavyweight title would be a shoo-in for the Sports Personality prize, especially if they’d made two successful defences in the space of five months.

These days, though, belts are tossed around like confetti, and it is hard to remember a less impressive British world champion than Haye.

His April win over John Ruiz was workmanlike at best, while last month’s victory over Audley Harrison was an embarrassment to all concerned.

MARK CAVENDISH (66-1)

ALSO nominated last year, Cavendish is somewhat unfortunate in that he excels in a sport where Britain is blessed with a number of genuine champions.

His five stage wins on this year’s Tour de France brought his career total to 15 successes, and he became the first cyclist ever to record back-to-back victories on the iconic final stage to the Champs Elysees.

If he were French, he would already be deified as a saint. He isn’t, so unless he actually wins the Tour de France – something that is extremely unlikely thanks to the presence of those pesky mountains – he’ll always be a Sports Personality bridesmaid.

TOM DALEY (33-1)

A REGULAR at the BBC’s annual bash, 16-year-old Daley is also hoping to defend his Young Sports Personality of the Year crown after another strong season.

The Devonian diver claimed two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, one in partnership with team-mate Max Brick and the other in the individual 10m platform.

He’s popular thanks to his bubbly personality and youth. If he wins Olympic gold in 2012 the Sports Personality award could well be his.

JESSICA ENNIS (25-1)

AN athlete who just seems to get stronger and stronger, Ennis has followed up a stellar 2009, when she was crowned world champion, with an equally successful 2010.

She claimed the World Indoor pentathlon crown before claiming heptathlon gold at the European Championships in a European record.

The Yorkshirewoman is undoubtedly Britain’s most successful athlete, but she was only third last year after winning the World Championships, so she’s unlikely to do any better 12 months on.

LEE WESTWOOD (16-1)

HOW can a British golfer be world number one, yet not even be in the top five contenders for the BBC’s big end-of-year bash? Because, and this is the only area where Westwood falls down, he has not won a Major.

Golfing aficionados will tell you that runner-up finishes at the Masters and the Open, a US Tour win in the St Jude Classic and a strong showing at the Ryder Cup represent an outstanding season that trumps anything achieved by his peers.

To the wider public, though, it’s the Major wins that count.

AMY WILLIAMS (14-1)

IF Sunday’s show had taken place at the end of February, there’s every chance Williams would have been crowned the winner.

The 28-year-old skeleton bobber became Britain’s first Winter Olympics individual gold medallist for 30 years when she hurtled down the Canadian ice at speeds of up to 100mph.

Time has taken some of the sheen off her achievements, but given she does not even have a skeleton track to train on in Britain, it would be a shame if they were overlooked. I’d place her in third position.

PHIL TAYLOR (12-1)

FINALLY, arguably Britain’s most successful sportsman of the last two decades gets some of the recognition he deserves.

Taylor won a recordbreaking 15th world title at Alexandra Palace last January, and went on to claim all six major titles on the darts calendar during the rest of 2010.

He is unquestionably the greatest darts player of all time, and fully merits his place in Sunday’s line-up. He has transformed his sport more radically than anyone else in the field.

GRAEME SWANN (10-1)

TIMING is everything in sport, and given that he is helping England retain the Ashes in Australia, Swann could be a strong late contender for the crown.

He would deserve it after an exceptional season that has seen him play crucial roles in series wins over Bangladesh and Pakistan, and finish as England’s leading wicket taker during their successful World Twenty20 campaign.

His strong Twitter following will garner him votes.

GRAEME McDOWELL (7-2)

MCDOWELL became a contender for the Sports Personality prize when he claimed his maiden Major title at Pebble Beach in June, and ended a 40-year wait for a European US Open champion.

However, when he sunk the winning putt to retain the Ryder Cup in October, the Northern Irishman leapt from slight outsider to one of the favourites.

With the final day unravelling at dramatic speed, McDowell held things together superbly to ensure the Ryder Cup remained in European hands. A fantastic performance, but only good enough to win second place on this list for me.

TONY McCOY (10-11)

AFTER last year’s victory for Ryan Giggs, it can be argued the Sports Personality trophy is becoming more of a lifetime achievement award than a recognition of successes in the last 12 months.

In McCoy, though, the BBC have identified a candidate who ticks both boxes emphatically.

The 36-year-old has been champion jockey a record 15 times in a row, and has ridden more than 3,000 winners in a sport that demands almost unparalleled levels of discipline, dedication and bravery.

Prior to April, though, there was one thing missing from his CV. Not any more.

When McCoy won the Grand National on Don’t Push It, he finally achieved a lifetime ambition and cemented his position as one of racing’s legendary all-time greats.

No jockey has ever won the Sports Personality of the Year award.

In my mind, it would be a travesty if McCoy did not make history on Sunday night.