‘Big dreamer’ Keely Hodgkinson named BBC Sports Personality of the Year
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No one could stop Keely Hodgkinson on the track in 2024 – or, as it turned out, the battle for public opinion as the Olympic 800m champion lifted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. “As a little girl, I dared to dream big,” said the 22-year-old from Atherton after being rewarded for a remarkable year, in which she won Olympic and European gold, obliterated her own British record, and remained unbeaten over two laps.
![[Luke Littler, alongside host Alex Scott, lifts the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/431da70c63d471edcd8dd4837ce965eaffa7fe0b/0_190_4888_2932/master/4888.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
The 17-year-old darts prodigy Luke Littler was second after a breakthrough 2024 which included reaching the world darts championship final, while the England cricketer Joe Root was third. But this was Hodgkinson’s night as she became the fourth woman in succession to win the award, following Emma Raducanu in 2021, Beth Mead in 2022 and Mary Earps last year.
Victory was achieved in classic Hodgkinson style. As at the Paris Games, she was a huge favourite beforehand. And, once again, she emerged from a stacked field to justify her odds. “I am actually a bit in shock,” she admitted, as cries of ‘Keely! Keely!’ rang out across the audience at Media City in Salford. “This year has been absolutely incredible for me. I’ve achieved everything I have set out to do.”.
Sports Personality of the Year: Keely Hodgkinson. Young Personality of the Year: Luke Littler. Coach of the Year: Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows. World Sport Star of the Year: Armand ‘Mundo’ Duplantis. Team of the Year: Wigan Warriors. Helen Rollason Award: Dr Mark Prince.
