Caribbean Roots Sports Star Among BBC Sports Personality Contenders

Formula 1 Winner Lewis Hamilton

By NAN Sports Writer

News Americas, LONDON, England, Weds. Dec. 2, 2015: Caribbean roots sports star Lewis Hamilton is among 12 contenders for this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

Lewis Hamilton who has Grenadian roots won a third Formula 1 title to become only the second British man after Sir Jackie Stewart to achieve the feat. The driver, from Hertfordshire, edged out team-mate Nico Rosberg with a thrilling United States Grand Prix victory, his 10th of the campaign.

Hamilton passed Ayrton Senna’s mark of 41 career race wins, and joined his childhood hero by winning three championships.

The other contenders include Lizzie Armitstead, the Olympic silver medallist who won the grueling 130km race by a wheel in Richmond, Virginia; Lucy Bronze, who made history with a best-ever third placed finish at the Women’s World Cup in Canada and Bronze was among the stars; Jessica Ennis-Hill who won her second world heptathlon title on August 13 months after the birth of her son; Mo Farah, the first man to pull off a triple double – triumphing in two athletics events at two World Championships and an Olympics and Chris Froome, the winner of  the grueling three-week Tour de France.

The others are Tyson Fury who became Britain’s first world heavyweight champion for six years when outpointing Wladimir Klitschko in Dusseldorf; Adam Peaty who was the first man to complete the 50m and 100m double at the World Swimming Championships; Greg Rutherford who won gold at the World Championships in Beijing and cemented his place as current king of the long jump – adding to his Olympic, European and Commonwealth titles; Kevin Sinfield who finished his rugby league career on a high, featuring in Leeds Rhinos’ treble-securing Super League Grand Final win against Wigan and Max Whitlock who became the first man to win a gold for Great Britain at the World Gymnastics Championships.

The winner will be revealed during the live show in Belfast on Sunday, December 20th.

The previous star-studded  winners include Bobby Moore, Princess Anne, Sir Steve Redgrave and David Beckham.