Thomas Beats Hamilton To Become BBC Sports Personality Of The Year

The BBC has held its 65th Sports Personality of the Year awards evening at Birmingham’s Genting Arena and after another year of sporting excellence on so many fronts it was Welsh Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas who caused something of an upset by taking the top honour.

This year the six nominees for the main award were not revealed until the start of the live show with the aim of increasing the tension and excitement for both potential contenders and the viewing public.

The motorsport world was represented in the top six by Mercedes Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, who started his F1 career back in 2007 and this year achieved his fifth world drivers’ title, putting him alongside the late great Argentinian driver Juan Manuel Fangio and only surpassed by the seven titles of German driver Michael Schumacher. Hamilton had already become the most successful British driver in the history of the sport last year.

However, following the public vote Monaco based Hamilton had to settle for second place behind Thomas but ahead of the bookmakers’ favourite England football captain Harry Kane.

19 year old and highly likeable British racing driver Billy Monger received the 2018 Helen Rollason award for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity. After suffering a serious accident whilst competing in a British F4 race at Donington Park in April 2017 Billy Whizz, as he is known, sadly had to have both his lower legs amputated. However, through sheer grit and determination he returned to racing earlier this year in a specially adapted car and is currently trying to raise sufficient sponsorship to compete in next year’s FIA F3 championship. Good luck to him.