It's Sports Personality of the Year this Sunday, and after last year's non-event (aside from the very deserving winner) it looks like it could be a cracker. In the wake of the Olympics and other various sporting successes over the past 12 months it is a much more interesting race for the top prize.
However there was one name missing from the list that more than deserved to be there- Shane Williams. Right up front I will say I am an England supporter through and through, but I do think this was a bit of an injustice for the Ospreys winger. He played a pivotal role in Wales' 6 Nations win, broke the all time try scoring record for his nation, helped his club to the EDF Energy Cup and finally he became the first Welshman to win the IRB's player of the year award. The last player to win this award went on to pick up Sports Personality of the Year- Johnny Wilkinson (OK, he had just won a world cup too, but we wont go on about it!), so it seems wrong Shane doesn't even make the shortlist.
I don't think Shane should win, but I think at the very least he deserved a nomination. He has had a phenomenal year for club and country and somehow this seems to have passed the decision makers by.
For my part I think Rebecca Adlington should win, and probably will. The double gold she achieved this summer at the Olympics was amazing, all the more so when you consider how British swimming has been in the Olympic gold wilderness since 1960. Lewis Hamilton may be the youngest F1 champion ever, but Adlington is only 19, and when you consider she beat swimming legends like Katie Hoff of the USA on the way to her triumph, she should get the prize. Lewis Hamiltion's time will come again I'm sure.
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