Giggs on shortlist for BBC award

01 December 2009 09:55
UNITED star Ryan Giggs, who hit his 100th Premier League goal at Portsmouth at the weekend, is on the shortlist for the BBC Sport Personality of the Year award. The evergreen Welsh winger collected his 11th Premier League winners' medal this year and claimed the Reds' appearance record. Formula One world champion Jenson Button is a leading contender for the top prize along with heptathlon world champion Jessica Ennis and Ashes-winning captain Andrew Strauss. Brawn driver Button won six out of the first seven grands prix on his way to the Formula One championship. Button will be looking to go one better than new McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who came second last year behind cyclist Chris Hoy, who won three golds in Beijing, despite becoming world champion after a thrilling final race in Brazil. Heptathlete Ennis overcame the agony of missing Beijing because of injury to claim victory at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin. The Sheffield athlete led from start to finish and scored a personal best of 6,731 points. Strauss guided England to a thrilling Ashes win over Australia. The Middlesex opener led from the front as England won the series 2-1. They are joined on the 10-strong shortlist by triple jump world champion Phillips Idowu, diver Tom Daley, who became world 10m platform champion this summer in Rome aged 15, and Mark Cavendish, winner of six stages of this year's Tour de France. David Haye was crowned WBA world heavyweight champion with his defeat of 7ft 2ins Nikolay Valuev, Andy Murray was ranked world number two after winning six tournaments while gymnast Beth Tweddle claimed gold on the floor at the World Championships. BBC Sports Personality of the Year takes place at Sheffield Arena on Sunday, December 13.

Source: Manchester_EveningNews