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BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award

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Photograph of Oscar Pistorius sprinting around a track with two carbon fibre transtibial artificial limbs.
Oscar Pistorius, who won the award in 2007

The BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award is an award given annually as part of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony each December. The award is given "for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity", and the winner is selected by BBC Sport.[1] The award is named after the BBC sports presenter Helen Rollason, who died in August 1999 at the age of 43 after suffering from cancer for two years.[2][3] Helen Rollason was the first female presenter of Grandstand. After being diagnosed with cancer, she helped raise over £5 million to set up a cancer wing at the North Middlesex Hospital, where she received most of her treatment.[4]

The inaugural recipient of the award was horse trainer Jenny Pitman, in 1999. Other winners include South African Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius, who won the award in 2007. Several recipients have not played a sport professionally, including: Jane Tomlinson, who won in 2002, Kirsty Howard (2004), Phil Packer (2009), Anne Williams, who received the award posthumously in 2013, and eight-year-old Bailey Matthews (2015). Michael Watson, who won the award in 2003, had a career in boxing but was paralysed and almost killed in a title bout with Chris Eubank. He won the award for completing the London Marathon, an accomplishment that took him six days.[5] Former footballer Geoff Thomas won the award in 2005; he raised money by cycling the 2,200 miles of the 2005 Tour de France course in the same number of days as the professionals completed it.[6] In 2006, the award was given posthumously to Paul Hunter, who died from dozens of malignant neuroendocrine tumours – his widow Lindsay accepted the award on his behalf.[7]

Winners

By year

Head-and-torso photograph of Geoff Thomas standing in a lecture room wearing a grey chalk-stripe suit and waistcoat, and an open collared blue shirt
Ex-footballer Geoff Thomas, who won the award in 2005
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award winners
Year Nat. Winner Sport(s) Rationale Note
1999  ENG Jenny Pitman Horse racing for "one of national hunt's greatest trainers" who retired earlier in 1999 after suffering from cancer.[8] [9]
2000  WAL Tanni Grey-Thompson Athletics for winning "gold in the 100 m, 200 m, 400 m and 800 m events" at the 2000 Summer Paralympics.[10] [11]
2001  ENG Ellen MacArthur Sailing for her courage in becoming fastest woman to circumnavigate the globe.[12] [13]
2002  ENG Jane Tomlinson —[n 1] for completing "the London Marathon, a triathlon and the Great North Run" and raising money for Cancer Research, after being diagnosed with breast cancer.[14] [15]
2003  ENG Michael Watson Boxing for completing the London Marathon and "raising millions of pounds for the Brain and Spine Foundation", despite being told previously that "he would never walk again".[16] [17]
2004  ENG Kirsty Howard —[n 2] for raising money for poorly children in Francis House hospice through Kirsty's Appeal, despite having an inoperable heart condition.[18] [19]
2005  ENG Geoff Thomas Football for raising "more than £150,000 for the Leukaemia Research charity" by cycling, following his own battle with the disease.[20] [21]
2006  ENG Paul Hunter Snooker awarded posthumously "in recognition of his bravery and determination to continue playing while trying to beat [cancer]."[22] [23]
2007  RSA Oscar Pistorius Athletics for his fight to be allowed to "race in both the Olympics and the Paralympics" in 2008.[24] [25]
2008  ENG Alastair Hignell Cricket, Rugby union for fundraising and raising awareness of multiple sclerosis since being diagnosed with the disease in 1999.[26] [27]
2009  ENG Major Phil Packer —[n 3] for fundraising over £1.2 million for the Help for Heroes charity, despite being paraplegic since sustaining injuries in the Iraq War.[28] [28]
2010  ENG Frank Williams Formula One for founding the Williams Formula One team which has so far won nine constructors' titles and seven drivers' championships despite himself suffering an accident in 1986 in which he sustained a severe spinal cord injury. [29]
2011  ENG Bob Champion Horse racing for beating cancer then winning the 1981 Grand National on Aldaniti, then raising money for The Bob Champion Cancer Trust. [30]
2012  ENG Martine Wright Sitting volleyball for achieving selection for GB Sitting Volleyball team at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, having been "the most seriously injured person to survive" the 7/7 bombings the day after London was announced as host of those Games. [31]
2013  ENG Anne Williams — awarded posthumously for campaigning for justice for Hillsborough victims. [32]
2014 14 countries Invictus Games Competitors Disability sport awarded for central contribution to the success of inaugural multi-sport event for injured military [33]
2015  ENG Bailey Matthews Triathlon 8 year old Bailey, who has cerebral palsy, completed his first triathlon earlier in the year, throwing away his walking frame to complete the last 20 yards of the final running event on his own [34]
2016  ENG Ben Smith Running for running 401 marathons in 401 days in order to raise funds and awareness for two anti bullying charities, Kidscape and Stonewall, inspiring thousands of people along the way including school children to whom he spoke and people who ran with him. [35]
2017  ENG Bradley Lowery — awarded posthumously, accepted by the Lowery family. [36]
2018  ENG Billy Monger Motorsport For returning to racing after a double leg amputation following a crash. [37]
2019  SCO Doddie Weir Rugby union For raising awareness of motor neurone disease through his charitable foundation. [38]

By nationality

This table lists the total number of awards won by recipients of each nationality based on the principle of jus soli.

Winners by nationality
Nationality Number of wins
 England 17
 South Africa 1
 Wales 1
 Scotland 1

By sport

This table lists the total number of awards won by recipients' sporting profession.

Winners by sport
Sporting profession Number of wins[n 4]
Athletics 3
Horse racing 2
Boxing 1
Disability multi-sport 1
Football 1
Formula One 1
Sailing 1
Snooker 1
Sitting volleyball 1
Cricket ½
Rugby union 1½
Triathlon 1
Other 5

Notes

References

General

  • "Sports Personality Of The Year: more winners". BBC. December 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2008.

Specific

  1. ^ "Sports Personality voting & judging: Terms & conditions". BBC Sport. BBC. 18 November 2008. Archived from the original on 17 December 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
  2. ^ Marks, Kathy (10 August 1999). "BBC sports presenter Helen Rollason dies". The Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  3. ^ Shannon, Sarah (4 November 1999). "BBC bravery award to remember Helen". Evening Standard. HighBeam Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16 December 2008.[dead link‍]
  4. ^ "Helen Rollason: Presenter with fighting spirit". BBC News. BBC. 10 August 1999. Archived from the original on 15 February 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  5. ^ Fordyce, Tom (19 April 2003). "Poignant end to Watson's epic journey". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 26 January 2009.
  6. ^ "Geoff Thomas Takes on the World of Mountain Biking". British Cycling. Archived from the original on 3 February 2007. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
  7. ^ "Hunter loses battle with cancer". BBC Sport. BBC. 9 October 2006. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  8. ^ "Lewis heads sporting honours". BBC News. BBC. 12 December 1999. Archived from the original on December 3, 2002. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  9. ^ Allison, Rebecca (12 December 2000). "Lack of ramp mars athlete's glory". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
  10. ^ "Redgrave voted Britain's best". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 December 2000. Archived from the original on December 20, 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  11. ^ Eden, Richard (19 June 2001). "BBC gaffe over award for disabled athlete". The Daily Telegraph. David and Frederick Barclay. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
  12. ^ "Ellen's tough voyage". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 December 2001. Archived from the original on 24 December 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  13. ^ "Sports Awards: Beckham is personality of 2001". The Daily Telegraph. David and Frederick Barclay. 9 December 2001. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
  14. ^ "Jane's fighting spirit". BBC Sport. BBC. 8 December 2002. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  15. ^ Seaton, Matt (18 March 2005). "'I have the right to live the way I want'". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
  16. ^ "Watson's epic fightback". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 December 2003. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  17. ^ Norton, Charlie (15 December 2003). "Wilkinson and Redgrave scoop top BBC awards". The Daily Telegraph. David and Frederick Barclay. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
  18. ^ "Little Kirsty lands BBC honour". BBC Sport. BBC. 12 December 2004. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  19. ^ Rowbottom, Mike (13 December 2004). "Sports Awards: Holmes wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year". The Independent. Independent News & Media. Archived from the original on August 31, 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
  20. ^ "Sports Personality: The winners". BBC Sport. BBC. 11 December 2005. Archived from the original on December 13, 2007. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  21. ^ Philip, Robert (21 December 2005). "Thomas makes most of wheel of fortune". The Daily Telegraph. David and Frederick Barclay. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
  22. ^ "Sports Personality: The winners". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 December 2006. Retrieved 30 December 2008.
  23. ^ Corrigan, James (11 December 2006). "Phillips is surprise winner of top Sports Personality award". The Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 15 December 2008.
  24. ^ "Calzaghe wins Sports Personality". BBC Sport. BBC. 9 December 2007. Archived from the original on 24 December 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  25. ^ Clare, Richard (9 December 2007). "Joe Calzaghe wins BBC Sports Personality". The Daily Telegraph. David and Frederick Barclay. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2008.
  26. ^ "BBC award for commentator Hignell". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 December 2008. Archived from the original on 2 January 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  27. ^ Roughley, Gregg (14 December 2008). "BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2008 - as it happened". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on 15 December 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2008.
  28. ^ a b c "Major Phil Packer wins Helen Rollason award". BBC Sport. BBC. 13 December 2009. Archived from the original on 18 December 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2009.
  29. ^ Ryan, Wood (19 December 2010). "Sir Frank Williams honoured at BBC SPOTY awards". The F1 Times. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  30. ^ Keogh, Frank (2011-12-18). "BBC Sport - Sports Personality: Bob Champion wins BBC's Helen Rollason award". BBC News. Retrieved 2011-12-22.
  31. ^ "Sports Personality: Martine Wright wins Helen Rollason Award". BBC Sport. 16 December 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  32. ^ "Anne Williams: BBC award for Hillsborough campaigner". BBC News. 2013-12-15. Retrieved 2013-12-15.
  33. ^ Watson, Jeremy (15 December 2014). "Stars of the first Invictus Games honoured by Prince Harry". The Times. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  34. ^ "Sports Personality: Bailey Matthews wins the Helen Rollason award". BBC News. 2015-12-20. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
  35. ^ "BBC Sports Personality 2016: Ben Smith receives Helen Rollason Award". BBC Sport. 18 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  36. ^ "Bradley Lowery to be honoured at Sports Personality of the Year awards". The Independent. Press Association. 17 December 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  37. ^ "Sports Personality of the Year: Billy Monger wins Helen Rollason Award". BBC Sport. 2018-12-16. Retrieved 2018-12-17.
  38. ^ "Doddie Weir wins Helen Rollason Award at Sports Personality 2019". BBC Sport. 2019-12-15. Retrieved 2019-12-15.
  39. ^ Lindsay, Clive (24 July 2002). "Brave Kirsty given baton honour". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 25 January 2009.

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