KIN & QUEEN
Keely Hodgkinson wins BBC SPOTY 2024 as Olympic gold medallist pips Luke Littler to top prize
The winner's coaches were also handed an award
KEELY HODGKINSON has been crowned the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
The result meant heartbreak for fellow favourite Luke Littler, who finished as the runner-up at the glitzy event in MediaCity, Salford.
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The other nominated stars were footballer Jude Bellingham, triathlete Alex Yee, Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey and cricketer Joe Root.
Hodgkinson, 22, was one of Team GB's stars at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
She stormed to gold in the 800m event and made an incredible moment even more iconic as she wore a crown during her celebrations.
After winning the award, she admitted that she was left in "shock".
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She said: "I am in a bit of shock.
"I am more excited for my coach [Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows] as I wouldn't be here without his guidance.
"This year has been incredible and I achieved everything that I set out to do on the outdoor track.
"I hope you love watching Paris and I wish you all a wonderful evening."
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The Atherton native also claimed the European title in Rome - two months before competing in France.
Hodgkinson broke the British national record and became the sixth fastest woman in history.
Take a look at behind the scenes at SPOTY 2024
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SPOTY top three
Here is the top three in the vote for the SPOTY Award.
1. Keely Hodgkinson, Olympian
2. Luke Littler, Darts
3. Joe Root, Cricket
In August, she was ruled out for the remainder of the year due to a "small injury".
She stunned as she arrived on the red carpet ahead of the event in a black dress.
Earlier this month, she was honoured in her hometown of Birmingham in a Pret a Manger display.
A display was created of the moment she won gold in the window of the branch on New Street.
Her trainers, Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows, were named the Coaches of the Year.
Littler, 17, shot to fame with his brilliant run to the previous PDC World Championship final.
He was denied a famous victory by Luke Humphries but that did not stop him from going on to become one of the stars of darts.
Littler has gone on to win multiple majors and has earned over £1million in prize money from his exploits.
The high points of the sensation's 2024 include finishing top of the Premier League Darts and winning the Grand Slam of Darts as well as the World Series Finals.
Littler's emergence in the sport has seen him become a household name and the most searched-for athlete of the year.
He is also set to be honoured with his very own waxwork at Madame Tussauds.
Littler did have the consolation of winning the Young Sports Personality of the Year award.
On winning the award, he said: "It just goes to show how well I have done this year.
"Not only for myself, but I have changed the sport of darts.
"I know the amount of academies that have been brought up in different locations, how big the sport has got.
"Tickets selling out with the Ally Pally in hours and the Premier league selling out - it just goes to show how much I have changed it."
Meanwhile, the other nominated stars also enjoyed successful years in their own fields.
Root became England's leading scorer in Test cricket as he surpassed Sir Alastair Cook's record.
The batter's stunning year was enough to see him voted third for the award.
However, he was not at the ceremony due to England's Test series in New Zealand that ended on Monday night.
Dame Storey won two gold medals in the C4-C5 road race and the C5 time trials in Paris.
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Bellingham starred for England in their run to the Euro 2024 final and at Real Madrid by winning the Champions League and LaLiga titles.
Yee provided one of the moments of the Olympics with his triathlon gold medal.
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