What's happened
Dame Sarah Storey, Britain's most decorated Paralympian, has been nominated for BBC Sports Personality of the Year after winning multiple gold medals in 2024. Despite her achievements, she faces long odds to win due to limited media coverage of para-sports and previous nomination outcomes.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Luke Baker from The Independent, Storey expressed her frustration over the lack of coverage for para-sports, stating, "People don’t see para-sport on the TV enough to know who their most successful athlete is." George Sessions also noted that despite her record-breaking achievements, bookmakers have made her a 100-1 underdog for the SPOTY award, with Keeley Hodgkinson favored after her Olympic success. The South China Morning Post highlights the competitive landscape of sports awards, noting that while Storey is a strong candidate, the historical context of awards shows a trend of underrepresentation for para-athletes.
How we got here
Storey has had a record-breaking year, winning her 18th and 19th Paralympic gold medals in September 2024. This nomination marks her fourth attempt at the SPOTY award, where no Paralympian has won since its inception.
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The Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland.
The UCI issues racing licenses to riders and enforces disciplinary rules, such
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The Paralympic Games or Paralympics are a periodic series of international multi-sport events involving athletes with a range of disabilities, including impaired muscle power, impaired passive range of movement, limb deficiency, leg length difference, sho
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Dame Sarah Joanne Storey, DBE is a British Paralympic cyclist and former swimmer. She is a multiple gold medal winner at the Paralympic Games in both sports, and six times British national track champion.