Sports Personality Awards in Liverpool

Liverpool last night hosted the biggest sports awards ever staged in the UK, after a stunning year of sporting success. Richard Down reports from the Echo Arena Liverpool

THE biggest names in the sporting world last night showered praise on Liverpool as the city hosted celebration of a hugely successful year for British sporting achievement.

The BBC Sports Personality of the Year was the biggest ever requiring 65km of cables, 130 tonnes of scenery and used a crew and cast of 300 to get up and running.

The enormous scale of the event followed an equally huge year of British sporting achievement.

Lewis Hamilton became the youngest ever Formula One champion, Andy Murray landed his first major titles, and Team GB’s Olympic performance was the best in decades.

Last night every medal winner, including Liverpool’s own superheavyweight boxing medallist David Price, descended on Kings Dock.

Chris Hoy and the British cycling team walked away with the top honours.

For the Scottish gold medallist a series of swift costume changes were needed in the dedicated cycling changing rooms tucked away in the bowels of the auditorium.

He, along with his team-mates, arrived in stylish evening wear posing for pictures on the purple carpet outside the arena. They then had to nip backstage to don their helmets and cycling shorts to ride into the arena bowl to collect their team trophy.

A final change was needed for Chris to be ready to take the coveted award in full suit and tie.

He was clearly stunned to win the individual award and revealed he had been checking the bookmakers odds in the run up to the show.

Backstage he told the Daily Post: “I was looking at the betting last week and I was lagging back in third.

“When I heard Lewis Hamilton’s name read out in second I thought this could be it. But I still can’t take it in.

“The last time I came to one of these it was in London and was with sports people and that was brilliant but with so many people here tonight it has been a whole different experience altogether.”

THE venue and the setting, he enthused, helped make the awards a total success.

He said: “It’s a fantastic building and the reception I got was stunning,” adding, “We drove the team minibus along Albert Dock and I was stunned at how beautiful it was in the centre here. A fantastic location.”

His comments followed an emotional tribute from Sir Bobby Charlton who was given a standing ovation that went on for several minutes.

“I’m absolutely knocked out with the reception I got here and I can’t believe it,” he told the audience and the viewing public, adding: “I would like to say thank you to Liverpool for putting this on for me today.”

Minutes after accepting the Lifetime Achievement award from his older brother and fellow World Cup winner Jack Charlton, Sir Bobby said he spoke with fondness of Liverpool – a perennial rival to his own beloved Manchester.

He said: “I’ve always been treated very well here. And from start to finish tonight there has been a sense of enthusiasm and a sense of fun here.

“I’ve always thought Liverpool and Everton fans like to have bit of fun and it showed.”

He added: “I’ve got to be honest and say I’ve not been to this part of the city for so long.

“I was just mind-blowing to see all the things that have been done here.”

Meanwhile Rebecca Addlington, whose double gold in the pool in the Beijing Games earned her a third place in the public vote last night, praised the atmosphere in the arena and recalled her last visit to Liverpool.

She said: “We had our Team GB trials in Liverpool in the new pool at Wavertree and I loved it – I even broke the British record here so it’s a good place for me.

“Tonight there was a brilliant atmosphere and even in the stands people were all saying ‘well done’ throughout the evening.

“It was special to be here and I think there was a sense that people were coming out to Liverpool tonight to as the last hurrah for Team GB. It was the last chance to celebrate the year.”

The statuesque blonde stood tall last night in a pair of Jimmy Choos shoes given to her by Mansfield’s mayor.

But she revealed that her mum and dad had added to her designer shoe collection by picking up a pair of Christian Louboutins from the Cricket fashion store in Liverpool’s prestigious Cavern Walks Designer Shopping Centre.

FOR Lewis Hamilton, it was the first trip he had made to the city. Speaking moments after landing the runners-up spot, he denied he was disappointed.

“I was just proud to be standing up there along with Rebecca and Chris Hoy. This was Olympic year.”

With glitter sticking to his suit and close-cropped hair, he said: “I went to Birmingham last year but it was nowhere near as big a hall. They put on such a big show and it was the best awards I’ve ever been to or seen.”