O/T The Alternative Sports Personality Of The Year

[Andy_Faber]

OK, y'all have had your say about the goods and bads of the BBC pre-Christmas snoozefest, but if you were given a free vote, who would be YOUR choice? Its been a funny old year but there must have been some heros in amongst all the dross. Just a name, a sport and a bit of an explanation would be lovely

Anyone?

[Geoff Parkstone]

LeBron James, basketball. Wins championship for the 4th time with 3 different teams, 4th time MVP

[ramAnag]

Marcus Rashford or Kevin Sinfield for using their sporting positions and personality to benefit the less fortunate.
Dean Smith for re-establishing Aston Villa in the Premier League during 2020 while also leading them to the League Cup final.

[Andy_Faber]

Marcus Rashford or Kevin Sinfield for using their sporting positions and personality to benefit the less fortunate.
Dean Smith for re-establishing Aston Villa in the Premier League during 2020 while also leading them to the League Cup final.

My vote, although it would be a sympathy one, would go to Italian racing driver turned hand cycler ALEX ZANARDI, idolised in his homeland as a multiple Paralympic gold medalist, loved in USA for dominating Yankee single seaters for years, the man who made the all time greatest racing overtake (check out ‘the pass’ on YouTube), came back from a horror accident where he lost both legs to become a touring car champion. And IMO his greatest achievement, uniting the unusually chronically divided/divisive motor racing world in his efforts to with Paralympic gold. Now lying in a coma after suffering horrendous cranial injuries in a handbike road race in June and fighting yet again not for a race win but for his life

[MadAmster]

Having read your piece, Andy, I'll put my weight behind Zanardi too.

[swaledale]

I can't think of anyone else who matches up in the grit and determination stakes!

[Andy_Faber]

On the selfish/personal side, I've been writing a second book based around great sporting moments and Alex runs right through the spine of it. Gotta do a rewrite now (only a minor one, hopefully, and his condition has been reported as improving in the last few days)