BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award

"Helen Rollason Award" redirects here. For the Helen Rollason Award for Inspiration, see Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Awards.

The BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award is an award given annually as part of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony each December. The award is given “for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity”, and BBC Sport selects the winner.^[1]

BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award
Country	United Kingdom
Presented by	BBC Sports Personality of the Year
First award	1999; 26 years ago (1999)
Most recent winner	Mark Prince (2024)

The award is named after the BBC sports presenter Helen Rollason, who died in August 1999 at the age of 43 after suffering from cancer for two years.^[2][3] Helen Rollason was the first female presenter of Grandstand. After being diagnosed with cancer, she helped raise over £5 million to set up a cancer wing at the North Middlesex Hospital, where she received most of her treatment.^[4]

History

Ex-footballer Geoff Thomas, who won the award in 2005

The inaugural recipient of the award was horse trainer Jenny Pitman, in 1999. Other winners include South African Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius, who won the award in 2007. Several recipients have not played a sport professionally, including Jane Tomlinson, who won in 2002, Kirsty Howard (2004), Phil Packer (2009), Anne Williams, who received the award posthumously in 2013, and eight-year-old Bailey Matthews (2015). Michael Watson, who won the award in 2003, had a career in boxing but was paralysed and almost killed in a title bout with Chris Eubank. He won the award for completing the London Marathon, an accomplishment that took him six days.^[5] Former footballer Geoff Thomas won the award in 2005; he raised money by cycling the 2,200 miles (3,540.56 km) of the 2005 Tour de France course in the same number of days as the professionals completed it.^[6] In 2006, Paul Hunter posthumously received the award; he died from dozens of malignant neuroendocrine tumours – his widow Lindsay accepted the award on his behalf.^[7]

Winners

By year

BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award winners

Year	Nat.	Winner	Sport(s)	Rationale	Note
1999	ENG	Jenny Pitman	Horse racing	for "one of national hunt's greatest trainers" who retired earlier in 1999 after suffering from cancer.[8]	[9]
2000	WAL	Tanni Grey-Thompson	Athletics	for winning "gold in the 100 m, 200 m, 400 m and 800 m events" at the 2000 Summer Paralympics.[10]	[11]
2001	ENG	Ellen MacArthur	Sailing	for her courage in becoming fastest woman to circumnavigate the globe.[12]	[13]
2002	ENG	Jane Tomlinson	—[n 1]	for completing "the London Marathon, a triathlon and the Great North Run" and raising money for Cancer Research, after being diagnosed with breast cancer.[14]	[15]
2003	ENG	Michael Watson	Boxing	for completing the London Marathon and "raising millions of pounds for the Brain and Spine Foundation", despite being told previously that "he would never walk again".[16]	[17]
2004	ENG	Kirsty Howard	—[n 2]	for raising money for poorly children in Francis House hospice through Kirsty's Appeal, despite having an inoperable heart condition.[18]	[19]
2005	ENG	Geoff Thomas	Football	for raising "more than £150,000 for the Leukaemia Research charity" by cycling, following his own battle with the disease.[20]	[21]
2006	ENG	Paul Hunter	Snooker	awarded posthumously "in recognition of his bravery and determination to continue playing while trying to beat [cancer]."[22]	[23]
2007	RSA	Oscar Pistorius	Athletics	for his fight to be allowed to "race in both the Olympics and the Paralympics" in 2008.[24]	[25]
2008	ENG	Alastair Hignell	Cricket, Rugby union	for fundraising and raising awareness of multiple sclerosis since being diagnosed with the disease in 1999.[26]	[27]
2009	ENG	Major Phil Packer	—[n 3]	for fundraising over £1.2 million for the Help for Heroes charity, despite being paraplegic since sustaining injuries in the Iraq War.[28]	[28]
2010	ENG	Frank Williams	Formula One	for founding the Williams Formula One team which has so far won nine constructors' titles and seven drivers' championships despite himself suffering an accident in 1986 in which he sustained a severe spinal cord injury.	[29]
2011	ENG	Bob Champion	Horse racing	for beating cancer then winning the 1981 Grand National on Aldaniti, then raising money for The Bob Champion Cancer Trust.	[30]
2012	ENG	Martine Wright	Sitting volleyball	for achieving selection for GB Sitting Volleyball team at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, having been "the most seriously injured person to survive" the 7/7 bombings the day after London was announced as host of those Games.	[31]
2013	ENG	Anne Williams	—	awarded posthumously for campaigning for justice for Hillsborough victims.	[32]
2014	14 countries	Invictus Games Competitors	Disability sport	awarded for the central contributions to the success of inaugural multi-sport events for injured military personnel.	[33]
2015	ENG	Bailey Matthews	Triathlon	8-year-old Bailey, who has cerebral palsy, completed his first triathlon earlier in the year, throwing away his walking frame to complete the last 20 yards of the final running event on his own	[34]
2016	ENG	Ben Smith	Running	for running 401 marathons in 401 days in order to raise funds and awareness for two anti bullying charities, Kidscape and Stonewall, inspiring thousands of people along the way including school children to whom he spoke and people who ran with him.	[35]
2017	ENG	Bradley Lowery	—	awarded posthumously after he "captured hearts across the sporting world" during appearances as a mascot, while he had neuroblastoma; accepted by the Lowery family.	[36]
2018	ENG	Billy Monger	Motorsport	For returning to racing after a double leg amputation following a crash.	[37]
2019	SCO	Doddie Weir	Rugby union	For raising awareness of motor neurone disease through his charitable foundation.	[38]
2020	ENG	Captain Sir Thomas Moore	Walking	For his fundrasing efforts in aid of NHS Charities Together, raising over £30 million by walking 100 laps of his 25-metre garden before his 100th birthday.	[39]
2021	SCO	Jen Beattie	Football	For continuing to play for both club and country after being diagnosed with breast cancer.	[40]
2022	ENG	Rob Burrow	Rugby league	For raising awareness of and fundraising for motor neurone disease	[41]
2023	ENG	Fatima Whitbread	Athletics	For her campaigning for children and those in the care system, after she spent the first fourteen years of her life in a children's home.	[42]
2024	ENG	Mark Prince	Boxing	Recognition for his work at the Kiyan Prince Foundation, a charity he founded in memory of his son, that uses boxing to deter people from getting involved in knife crime	[43]

By nationality

This table lists the total number of awards won by recipients of each nationality, based on the principle of jus soli.

Winners by nationality

Nationality	Number of wins
England	21
Scotland	2
South Africa	1
Wales	1

By sport

This table lists the total number of awards won by recipients' sporting profession.

Winners by sport

Sporting profession	Number of wins[n 4]
Athletics	3
Football	2
Horse racing	2
Boxing	2
Disability multi-sport	1
Formula One	1
Sailing	1
Snooker	1
Sitting volleyball	1
Cricket	½
Rugby league	1
Rugby union	1½
Triathlon	1
Other	5

Notes

• ^{n 1} Jane Tomlinson was an amateur athlete who competed in marathons, and triathlons – these represent sporting disciplines of athletics, swimming, and cycling.
• ^{n 2} Kirsty Howard was the mascot accompanying David Beckham for the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Greece and later became the final carrier in the Queen's Baton Relay for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.^[44]
• ^{n 3} Major Phil Packer raised money by rowing across the English Channel, completing the London Marathon, and climbing.^[28]
• ^{n 4} The fractions refer to Alastair Hignell, who played cricket professionally and rugby union at the top level.

References

General

• "Sports Personality Of The Year: more winners". BBC. December 2007. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2008.

Specific

1. "Sports Personality voting & judging: Terms & conditions". BBC Sport. BBC. 18 November 2008. Archived from the original on 17 December 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
2. Marks, Kathy (10 August 1999). "BBC sports presenter Helen Rollason dies". The Independent. Independent News & Media. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
3. Shannon, Sarah (4 November 1999), "BBC bravery award to remember Helen", Evening Standard
4. "Helen Rollason: Presenter with fighting spirit". BBC News. BBC. 10 August 1999. Archived from the original on 15 February 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
5. Fordyce, Tom (19 April 2003). "Poignant end to Watson's epic journey". BBC Sport. BBC. Archived from the original on 4 September 2007. Retrieved 26 January 2009.
6. "Geoff Thomas Takes on the World of Mountain Biking". British Cycling. Archived from the original on 3 February 2007. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
7. "Hunter loses battle with cancer". BBC Sport. BBC. 9 October 2006. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
8. "Lewis heads sporting honours". BBC News. BBC. 12 December 1999. Archived from the original on 3 December 2002. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
9. Allison, Rebecca (12 December 2000). "Lack of ramp mars athlete's glory". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 October 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
10. "Redgrave voted Britain's best". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 December 2000. Archived from the original on 20 December 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
11. Eden, Richard (19 June 2001). "BBC gaffe over award for disabled athlete". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
12. "Ellen's tough voyage". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 December 2001. Archived from the original on 24 December 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
13. "Sports Awards: Beckham is personality of 2001". The Daily Telegraph. 9 December 2001. Archived from the original on 4 September 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
14. "Jane's fighting spirit". BBC Sport. BBC. 8 December 2002. Archived from the original on 17 February 2007. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
15. Seaton, Matt (18 March 2005). "'I have the right to live the way I want'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 September 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
16. "Watson's epic fightback". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 December 2003. Archived from the original on 3 June 2004. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
17. Norton, Charlie (15 December 2003). "Wilkinson and Redgrave scoop top BBC awards". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 4 September 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
18. "Little Kirsty lands BBC honour". BBC Sport. BBC. 12 December 2004. Archived from the original on 16 March 2006. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
19. Rowbottom, Mike (13 December 2004). "Sports Awards: Holmes wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year". The Independent. Independent News & Media. Archived from the original on 31 August 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
20. "Sports Personality: The winners". BBC Sport. BBC. 11 December 2005. Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
21. Philip, Robert (21 December 2005). "Thomas makes most of wheel of fortune". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 31 August 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
22. "Sports Personality: The winners". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 December 2006. Archived from the original on 14 December 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2008.
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24. "Calzaghe wins Sports Personality". BBC Sport. BBC. 9 December 2007. Archived from the original on 24 December 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
25. Clare, Richard (9 December 2007). "Joe Calzaghe wins BBC Sports Personality". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2008.
26. "BBC award for commentator Hignell". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 December 2008. Archived from the original on 2 January 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
27. Roughley, Gregg (14 December 2008). "BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2008 – as it happened". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 December 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2008.
28. "Major Phil Packer wins Helen Rollason award". BBC Sport. BBC. 13 December 2009. Archived from the original on 18 December 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2009.
29. Ryan, Wood (19 December 2010). "Sir Frank Williams honoured at BBC SPOTY awards". The F1 Times. Archived from the original on 21 December 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
30. Keogh, Frank (18 December 2011). "BBC Sport – Sports Personality: Bob Champion wins BBC's Helen Rollason award". BBC News. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
31. "Sports Personality: Martine Wright wins Helen Rollason Award". BBC Sport. 16 December 2012. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
32. "Anne Williams: BBC award for Hillsborough campaigner". BBC News. 15 December 2013. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
33. Watson, Jeremy (15 December 2014). "Stars of the first Invictus Games honoured by Prince Harry". The Times. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
34. "Sports Personality: Bailey Matthews wins the Helen Rollason award". BBC News. 20 December 2015. Archived from the original on 21 December 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
35. "BBC Sports Personality 2016: Ben Smith receives Helen Rollason Award". BBC Sport. 18 December 2016. Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
36. "Bradley Lowery to be honoured at Sports Personality of the Year awards". The Independent. Press Association. 17 December 2017. Archived from the original on 20 December 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
37. "Sports Personality of the Year: Billy Monger wins Helen Rollason Award". BBC Sport. 16 December 2018. Archived from the original on 17 December 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
38. "Doddie Weir wins Helen Rollason Award at Sports Personality 2019". BBC Sport. 15 December 2019. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
39. "Captain Sir Tom Moore wins Helen Rollason Award at Sports Personality of the Year 2020". BBC Sport. 12 December 2020. Archived from the original on 20 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
40. "Sports Personality 2021: Arsenal and Scotland defender Jen Beattie wins Helen Rollason Award". BBC Sport. 19 December 2021. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
41. "'This is for MND warriors' – Burrow & Sinfield honoured". BBC Sport. 21 December 2022. Archived from the original on 21 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
42. "'Her will to succeed was born from her will to survive'". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 26 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
43. Smith, Emma (17 December 2024). "Charity founder Prince receives Helen Rollason Award". BBC Sport.
44. Lindsay, Clive (24 July 2002). "Brave Kirsty given baton honour". BBC Sport. BBC. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2009.