Andy Murray wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year
Britain's number one tennis player and new David Cup champion secured the most votes over Rugby League player Kevin Sinfield and heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill
Andy Murray is the 2015 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
The tennis player and recent Davis Cup champion received the most votes from the public, lifting the trophy ahead of runner-up Rugby League star Kevin Sinfield and World Champion heptathlete Jessica Ennis who finished in third.
It is the second Sports Personality trophy in three years for 28-year-old Murray who won 361,446 (35%) of the 1,009,498 votes cast, compared with Sinfield's 278,353 (28%) and 78,898 (85) for Ennis-Hill.
The British number one claimed victory in every single one of his 11 Davis Cup rubbers, beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner and Bernard Tomic over the course of the competition and guiding his team – which included brother Jamie Murray – to Great Britain's first title in 79 years.
In addition to his David Cup exploits, Murray also reached the final of the Australian Open in January and the semi-finals of Wimbledon and the French Open. His first Sports Personality victory came in 2013, the year he won the home nation's first Wimbledon title in 77 years.
"Thank you very much. I didn't expect this," Murray told an audience at the SSE Arena in Belfast during a ceremony attended by fellow nominees Greg Rutherford, Lizzie Armitstead, Max Whitlock and Tyson Fury.
"A friend sent me a message the other day with an article saying, 'Andy Murray is duller than a weekend in Worthing,' which I thought was a bit harsh... on Worthing," he joked. "Congratulations to everyone who was involved tonight.
"This has been a five-year journey – we were down in the bottom level of tennis and now we're number one.
"I would like to thank the whole team and the staff, who were incredible. I would like to thank my wife and my family and everyone who voted for – I dedicate my life to this sport and I work extremely hard every day to make you proud."
Murray's mother Judy and brother Jamie were both present at the ceremony but wife Kim – who is expecting the couple's first child in a few weeks' time – stayed at home.
The night's other winners included 16-year-old gymnast Ellie Downie, voted Young Sports Personality of the Year, Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill who was named Coach of the Year, All Blacks player Dan Carter who was Overseas Sports Personality of the Year and jockey AP McCoy whose retirement in April was marked with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Authors
