CYCLIST BRADLEY WIGGINS has won the 59th BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Wiggins, the first British winner of the Tour de France, beat off competition from the likes of Jessica Ennis and Andy Murray to pick up the coveted award.
Other contenders included Chris Hoy, David Weir, Mo Farah and Rory McIlroy among a field of 12.
Wiggins was presented with the award in front of 15,000 people in the sold out ExCel arena in London, with Sue Barker, Gary Lineker and Clare Balding in charge of proceedings.
He had started the day as clear favourite at 4/7 but a late flood of money on Jessica Ennis had shortened the Olympian’s odds. However, it was Wiggins who captured the crown.
Dave Brailsford of Team Sky also picked up Coach of the Year for helping Wiggins win the Tour de France.
Earlier Josef Craig won the Young Sports Personality of the Year award after becoming the youngest British gold medallist at the 2012 Paralympics. The 15-year old won the S7 400m freestyle swimming gold in a new world record time.
Team of the Year went to Team GB and Paralympic GB ahead of the European Ryder Cup team, despite the latter’s heroics on US soil, while Overseas Personality of the Year was won by Usain Bolt.
Sebastian Coe was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award thanks, in large part, for his work on London 2012.
