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.

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. 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.

History

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. 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. 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.

Winners

By year +BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award winnersYearNat.WinnerSport(s)RationaleNote1999Horse racingfor "one of national hunt's greatest trainers" who retired earlier in 1999 after suffering from cancer.2000Athleticsfor winning "gold in the 100 m, 200 m, 400 m and 800 m events" at the 2000 Summer Paralympics.2001Sailingfor her courage in becoming fastest woman to circumnavigate the globe.2002—for completing "the London Marathon, a triathlon and the Great North Run" and raising money for Cancer Research, after being diagnosed with breast cancer.2003Boxingfor 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".2004—for raising money for poorly children in Francis House hospice through Kirsty's Appeal, despite having an inoperable heart condition.2005Footballfor raising "more than £150,000 for the Leukaemia Research charity" by cycling, following his own battle with the disease.2006Snookerawarded posthumously "in recognition of his bravery and determination to continue playing while trying to beat [cancer]."2007Athleticsfor his fight to be allowed to "race in both the Olympics and the Paralympics" in 2008.2008Cricket, Rugby unionfor fundraising and raising awareness of multiple sclerosis since being diagnosed with the disease in 1999.2009Major —for fundraising over £1.2 million for the Help for Heroes charity, despite being paraplegic since sustaining injuries in the Iraq War.2010Formula Onefor 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.2011Horse racingfor beating cancer then winning the 1981 Grand National on Aldaniti, then raising money for The Bob Champion Cancer Trust.2012Sitting volleyballfor 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.2013Anne Williams—awarded posthumously for campaigning for justice for Hillsborough victims.2014 14 countriesInvictus Games CompetitorsDisability sport awarded for the central contributions to the success of inaugural multi-sport events for injured military personnel.2015Bailey MatthewsTriathlon 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 own2016Ben SmithRunningfor 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.2017Bradley 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.2018Billy MongerMotorsportFor returning to racing after a double leg amputation following a crash.2019Doddie WeirRugby unionFor raising awareness of motor neurone disease through his charitable foundation.2020Captain Sir Thomas MooreWalkingFor 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.2021Jen BeattieFootball For continuing to play for both club and country after being diagnosed with breast cancer.2022Rob BurrowRugby league For raising awareness of and fundraising for motor neurone disease2023Fatima WhitbreadAthletics 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.2024Mark 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 crime2025Sergio Aguiar and David Stancombe

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 nationalityNationalityNumber of wins 22 2 1 1

By sport This table lists the total number of awards won by recipients' sporting profession. +Winners by sportSporting professionNumber of winsAthletics 3Football 2Horse racing 2Boxing 2Disability multi-sport1Formula One1Sailing 1Snooker1Sitting volleyball1Cricket Rugby league 1Rugby union Triathlon1Other6

Notes Jane Tomlinson was an amateur athlete who competed in marathons, and triathlons – these represent sporting disciplines of athletics, swimming, and cycling. 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. Major Phil Packer raised money by rowing across the English Channel, completing the London Marathon, and climbing. The fractions refer to Alastair Hignell, who played cricket professionally and rugby union at the top level.

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