Sports Personality of the Year 2008: The Contenders

Hamilton enters as favourite for second successive year

Lewis Hamilton
The last two non-Olympians to win the trophy in a year where the Games took place were Britain’s last two Formula One champions: Nigel Mansell in 1992 and Damon Hill in 1996. There does however appear to be some resentment about his decision to switch Stevenage to Switzerland to dodge taxes and that may have dented his popularity slightly.

Rebecca Adlington
The nineteen-year-old from Mansfield became the most successful British swimmer in a hundred years by winning two gold medals in Beijing. However, the last woman to win an Olympic swimming gold - Anita Lonsbrough in 1960 - only came third in that year’s Sports Personality of the Year. She did win the award two years later though and remains the only female swimmer ever to have done so.

Chris Hoy
There have numerous occasions where this award has been won by the Brit who came closest to winning something so it speaks volumes for Britain’s sporting success this year that Hoy, the first Brit since Henry Taylor in 1908 to win three gold medals at one Olympic Games, is only third-favourite. The only cyclist to have previously won the award was Tom Simpson in 1965.

Posted: November 7th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | 2 Comments

Will Lewis Hamilton really win Sports Personality of the Year?

Formula One world champion cut to 4/7 after triumph

Lewis Hamilton is now 4/7 with most bookmakers to win the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year after winning the Drivers Championship, while only William Hill offer the shortest odds at 8/15.

Whether Hamilton’s efforts will prove enough to defeat some of Team GB’s Olympic gold-medalists remains to be seen though - it will prove an advantage that his success has come towards the end of the year as it is fresher in people’s memories but Hamilton was the overwhelming favourite last year only to finish second.

And while Rebecca Adlington and Chris Hoy look likely to pose the biggest threat, Andy Murray can’t be written off because victory in next week’s Masters Cup would see his long odds (50/1 with 888sport, 99/1 with Betfair) plummet. Paddy Power are playing it safe by keeping Murray at 33/1 for the time being

Posted: November 4th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment

Why Hamilton won’t win in Brazil but will be crowned champion

Brazilian Grand Prix, 5pm, ITV1, £30 of free bets

The big question in Brazil is what will Lewis Hamilton do if he finds himself behind Felipe Massa in Brazil: sit back and accept being second-best for a day or make a major error chasing victory and throw away the Drivers Championship once again? Here’s why the Brit won’t win at Interlagos but will still win the Championship:

Why Hamilton won’t win the race…

» Hamilton has followed just one of his last seven race wins with victory in the following Grand Prix.

» More worryingly, only one of the last six have been followed by a podium finish.

» There have only ever been three British victories at Interlagos – the last of which came in 2001. In comparison there have been six occasions where a Brazilian has taken the chequered flag.

Posted: October 31st, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment