BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2023 shortlist revealed

The iconic awards show celebrates 70 years of crowning the nation’s favourite sports personality of the year

PHOTO: L-R: Mary Earps, Rory Mcllroy, Stuart Broad, Frankie Dettori, Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Alfie Hewett

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The shortlist for BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2023 have been revealed.

The contenders are (in alphabetical order):

• Stuart Broad (Cricket)
• Frankie Dettori (Horse Racing)
• Mary Earps (Football)
• Alfie Hewett (Wheelchair Tennis)
• Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Athletics)
• Rory Mcllroy (Golf)

Over the last seven decades the public has decided who its sporting heroes are. Once again, the six sport stars will compete for the public vote on the night of the live show on Tuesday 19 December.

Live from Media City, Salford, presenters Clare Balding, Gary Lineker, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott will look back at an action-packed year of sport on BBC One and iPlayer from 7pm.

Lioness hero, Beth Mead, took home the coveted title of BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2022, with England’s Test cricket captain Ben Stokes coming in second and GB curler Eve Muirhead taking third spot.

The industry panel for this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year included former Lioness and Euro 2022 winner Ellen White, former Olympian Colin Jackson, former Paralympian Ellie Simmonds and former Scotland rugby union international Chris Paterson.

Sports journalists David Coverdale (Daily Mail), Rob Maul (The Sun) and Charlotte Harpur (The Athletic) were on the panel alongside Katherine Grainger from UK Sport.

Representing the BBC were Director of Sport Barbara Slater, Head of Sport Content Philip Bernie and Sports Personality of the Year Executive Producer Gabby Cook.

The awards being presented on the night are:

Sports Personality of the Year
World Sport Star of the Year
Helen Rollason Award
Young Sports Personality of the Year
Unsung Hero
Coach of the Year
Team of the Year
Lifetime Achievement award

Votes can be cast by phone or online on the evening of Tuesday 19 December and the number to call for each contender will be revealed during the programme.

This year will mark 70 years of the biggest awards show in the sporting calendar which saw Chris Chataway be crowned as the first ever winner in 1954.

For further information and full Terms and Conditions, go to bbc.co.uk/sportspersonality

Stuart Broad

Broad bowed out of cricket with a fairytale ending. After the shock announcement that he was retiring after the fifth Ashes Test, he scored a six with his last ball as a batsman and took the final wicket of the match to give England victory. It was his 22nd of a series in which he had surpassed Ian Botham to become the highest wicket-taker from any nation against Australia. He finished his career with 604 Test wickets, placing him fifth on the all-time list and behind only Jimmy Anderson amongst fast bowlers. He is also one of only 10 men in history to score over 3000 runs and take 300 wickets at Test level.

Frankie Dettori

Dettori’s farewell tour in his final year racing in the UK saw him secure a host of big wins in his customary flamboyant style. They included two Classics, claiming the 2000 Guineas on Chaldean and the Oaks on Soul Sister. Other successes included the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on Courage Mon Ami, and the Coronation Cup at Epsom on Emily Upjohn. His final UK meeting was Champions Day at Ascot, and needless to say, it brought further dramatic glory. Having already won the opening race on the card, he bowed out with a last-ever ride victory on King Of Steel in the Champion Stakes in his final ride on British soil.

Mary Earps

Earps was England’s standout player as they reached the Women’s World Cup final for the first time. She played every minute of their seven matches, conceding only four goals and keeping three clean sheets, which helped her win the World Cup’s Golden Glove award. She was voted England Women’s Player of the Year for 2022-2023 and finished fifth in the voting for the Ballon d’Or award. The reigning FIFA Best Women’s Goalkeeper was also integral as England won the inaugural Women’s Finalissima with a penalty shoot-out defeat of Brazil in April. In domestic football she claimed the Women’s Super League Golden Glove for the 2022-23 season with Manchester United.

Alfie Hewett

Hewett enjoyed a stunning 2023, winning seven singles tournaments, including the Australian and US Opens, while he only narrowly missed out on a third Grand Slam title at Wimbledon. His achievements also included winning the Wheelchair Singles Masters and helped ensure he ended the year as world number one for the first time. In doubles, he and Gordon Reid claimed three of the four Grand Slam titles on offer at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon, taking their career tally to 18 titles together at the Majors. He was also an integral part of the Great Britain squad that were crowned World Team Cup champions.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson

Johnson-Thompson won her second heptathlon World Championship title in sensational style, edging out USA’s Anna Hall by just 20 points after a titanic battle in Budapest. The Liverpudlian was 93 points behind at the end of day one but roared back the following morning, posting a huge long jump of 6.54m, and a personal best in the javelin. She then recorded another PB in the final event in the 800m to secure what was a highly emotional gold. Her win was even more impressive given the injury troubles that have blighted her career since tearing her Achilles after her first world gold in 2019 and which led her to questioning her future in the sport.

Rory McIlroy

After a chastening experience at the 2021 Ryder Cup, in which McIlroy was left in tears after Europe lost by a record margin to the USA, he gained revenge at this year’s tournament. His talismanic performance saw him finish as the top points scorer on either side with four out of five matches won. Europe’s victory gave the Northern Irishman his fifth Ryder Cup triumph. On the PGA Tour, he posted a remarkable 13 top-10 finishes in 18 events, including at three of the four majors, and won the Scottish Open. He also retained the Race to Dubai title for the fifth time and spent part of the year ranked as the world number one.

Source BBC One

December 13, 2023 4:00am ET by BBC One  

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