BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2016 Award shortlist revealed with Andy Murray favourite to win – Mirror.co.uk

Andy Murray is the clear favourite to win this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year award after he was confirmed in the 16-athlete shortlist.

Murray, who became a Dad for the first time in February, has enjoyed an incredible 2016, winning Wimbledon for a second time while repeating his Olympic gold medal success and celebrating a first-ever ATP Finals victory that cemented his status as the world’s No.1.

A victory for defending champion Murray would mean three awards in four years with Lewis Hamilton winning in 2014.

The 29-year-old is a two-time winner of the coveted prize, landing his first back in 2013.

There are concerns that Murray could miss this year’s event, however, due to his winter training camp in Miami as he ramps up his preparations for the Australian Open in January.

Murray attended the awards in Belfast last December but he had to accept the prize via video link three years ago when he won it for the first time.

Rio 2016 Triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee is Murray’s closest rival for the gong on December 18 at Birmingham’s Genting Arena.

Fellow Olympic heroes Mo Farah, Laura Kenny and Max Whitlock are highly favoured by the bookmakers to challenge Murray too, with Wales and Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale leading the charge for football.

A shortlist of 16 contenders have been nominated for the prestigious main award, up from 12 in 2015.

They are:

• Nicola Adams – Boxing
• Gareth Bale – Football
• Alistair Brownlee – Triathlon
• Sophie Christiansen – Equestrian
• Kadeena Cox – Athletics/Cycling
• Mo Farah – Athletics
• Jason Kenny – Cycling
• Laura Kenny – Cycling
• Andy Murray – Tennis
• Adam Peaty – Swimming
• Kate Richardson-Walsh – Hockey
• Nick Skelton – Equestrian
• Dame Sarah Storey – Cycling
• Jamie Vardy – Football
• Max Whitlock – Gymnastics
• Danny Willett – Golf

Bale will be aiming to become just the fifth Welsh winner in the award’s history after lifting the Champions League with Real Madrid and inspiring Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016.

Jamie Vardy is a 100/1 outsider on the shortlist to win the award with his Leicester City side in contention to scoop the Team of the Year following their Premier League title heroics.

But Leicester face serious competition this year from TeamGB and ParalympicsGB’s incredible medal feats at the Rio Olympics, along with Wales’ magnificent run to the Euro 2016 semi-finals and England’s brilliant Grand Slam success in the Six Nations.

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri is set to be in the running for the Coach of the Year award, while Overseas Sports Personality, Lifetime Achievement Award, Helen Rollason Award and Get Inspired Unsung Hero Award will also be handed out on the night.

Gabby Logan, who will present the annual showcase alongside Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker and Clare Balding, announced the full shortlist live on The One Show.

The presenter revealed the nominations from behind the doors of 16 lockers.

The public can now vote for their favourites via phone or online.

The winner of Young Sports Personality of the Year 2016, meanwhile, will be announced on BBC One’s The One Show ahead of BBC Sports Personality of the Year taking place.

The industry panel for this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year included 2009 winner of the award Ryan Giggs, Olympic Gold medallist Victoria Pendleton and former Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.

They sat alongside sports presenter Ore Oduba, journalist Amy Lawrence, UK Sport chief executive Liz Nicholl and Sunday Mirror and People sports editor David James.

Here, we run through all the contenders and their odds to take home the top prize:

Andy Murray – Tennis
Odds : 1/7 favourite

Alistair Brownlee – Triathlon
Odds: 5/1

Mo Farah – Athletics
Odds: 12/1

Mo Farah spots fan reading about him on the train

Laura Kenny – Cycling
Odds: 12/1

Max Whitlock – Gymnastics
Odds: 33/1

Gareth Bale – Football
Odds: 40/1

Jason Kenny – Cycling
Odds: 66/1

Nick Skelton – Equestrian
Odds: 70/1

Nicola Adams – Boxing
Odds: 80/1

Adam Peaty – Swimming
Odds: 80/1

Kadeena Cox – Athletics/Cycling
Odds: 100/1

Kate Richardson-Walsh – Hockey
Odds: 100/1

Dame Sarah Storey – Cycling
Odds: 100/1

Jamie Vardy – Football
Odds: 100/1

Danny Willett – Golf
Odds: 125/1

Sophie Christiansen – Equestrian
Odds: 150/1

*Odds courtesy of Unibet