THE shortlist for BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award has been confirmed.
Six nominees are up for the award, which will be handed out on Wednesday evening.
England women’s footballer Beth Mead is a huge favourite.
The other nominees include gymnast Jessica Gadirova, curling’s Eve Muirhead, snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan, England cricket ace Ben Stokes, and athlete Jake Wightman.
Golfer Matt Fitzpatrick has been overlooked, despite his US Open triumph earlier this year.
The annual BBC show celebrates the last 12 months of sporting achievements.
England and Arsenal ace Mead, 27, is a clear frontrunner after helping the Lionesses to Euros glory in the summer.
Mead’s six goals and five assists saw her scoop both the Golden Boot and Player of the Tournament awards.
Meanwhile Gadirova, 18, won three medals at the World Championships for Team GB, including floor exercise gold.
She also won floor gold at the European Championships and is on shortlist for Young Sports Personality, as well as the main prize.
Muirhead, 32, led Team GB’s women’s curlers to gold at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
And cricket ace Stokes, 31, helped England’s men win the T20 World Cup with a sublime knock of 52 not out in the final.
The 2019 SPOTY winner was also named Test captain in 2022, and led England to nine wins in their last 10 matches.
Snooker legend O’Sullivan, 47, registered his seventh World Championship title back in May, and in doing so became the oldest world champion in Crucible history.
He also equalled Stephen Hendry’s modern era record of seven world titles.
Finally Wightman, 28, landed 1500m gold at the World Championships.
The Scot was called home on the final straight by his commentator dad.
He became the first 1500m world champion from the UK since Steve Cram 39 years ago with a stunning last 200m surge.
But Fitzpatrick, 28, is not on the shortlist despite his US Open victory.
The Sheffield-born star became the first British winner of a men’s golf major since Danny Willett at the 2016 Masters at Brookline in June.
