Murray overwhelming favourite for BBC gong
WIMBLEDON champion Andy Murray is the odds-on favourite to win the coveted BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, after the full shortlist of nominees was announced last night.
Bookmakers Coral have the 26-year-old best-priced to lift the award at 1/28 after he sensationally recovered from a back injury that had kept him out of the French Open to end a 77-year wait for a British male to win the Wimbledon singles title.
Athlete Mo Farah is also among the frontrunners having won 5,000m and 10,000m gold at the World Championships, as well as breaking the British 1,500m record which had stood for 28 years.
Tour de France champion Chris Froome became only the second British rider ever to win the title, while jockey AP McCoy’s achievement of surpassing 4,000 race victories has been acknowledged with his inclusion on the 10-person shortlist.
Sailor Sir Ben Ainslie inspired Oracle Team USA to an astonishing America’s Cup win over Emirates Team New Zealand, as they overturned an 8-1 deficit to win 9-8.
US Open champion Justin Rose, British and Irish Lions back Leigh Halfpenny, England batsman Ian Bell, World 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu and double International Paralympic Committee world sprint champion Hannah Cockcroft complete the shortlist.
THE NOMINEES
Andy Murray (tennis) 1/28-favourite
Mo Farah (athletics) 16/1
AP McCoy (horse racing) 25/1
Chris Froome (cycling) 33/1
Sir Ben Ainslie (sailing) 33/1
Justin Rose (golf) 80/1
Hannah Cockcroft (athletics) 100/1
Leigh Halfpenny (rugby union) 100/1
Christine Ohuruogu (athletics) 100/1
Ian Bell (cricket) 100/1
Results announced 15 December Odds from Coral