BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards 2016: Andy Murray collects top gong from Lennox Lewis in identical spot to 2012 gaffe-riddled presentation
The tennis titan claimed his third gong after successes in 2013 and 2015 and the boxing fan was handed the trophy by one of his sporting heroes – but it looked oddly familiar.
ANDY MURRAY collected his third Sports Personality of the Year award from Lennox Lewis with an added dose of déjà vu.
The tennis titan claimed his third gong after successes in 2013 and 2015 and the boxing fan was handed the trophy by one of his sporting heroes – but it looked oddly familiar.
In 2012 when the Scottish tennis superstar finished in third while training in Miami, the former heavyweight champion of the world was again drafted in to hand over the gong as he is based close to the Wimbledon king’s training base.
But it didn’t go smoothly as the connection back to presenter Sue Barker was weak and the retired fighter missed his cue so Murray had to grab his own award.
Even completing his hat-trick of awards was not enough to tempt the driven star away from his winter camp where he is focussed on the upcoming Australian Open – especially after losing five previous finals Down Under.
From his regular spot beside a Florida swimming pool, he said: “I’d like to thank everyone who voted, I really appreciate your support.
“And I’d like to thank my team, they make a lot of sacrifices for me, they’re away from their family at times of the year like this.
“Also I’d like to thank my family. I think my mum is in the crowd there, my dad as well, he just got married 10 days ago, I miss you guys.
“I’d like to say a huge thanks to my wife and my daughter, who won’t know what this means yet, but maybe in a few years she will.
“Actually, I’ve got a bone to pick with my wife because about an hour ago she told me she’d voted for Nick Skelton. Not smart from her with Christmas coming up.
“It’s been a great year for British sport and I am so proud to have been a part of it.”