Olympic cycling champion Chris Hoy has been named 2008 BBC Sports Personality of the Year, in a night which belonged the cyclists who also took Team of The Year as well as Coach of the Year.

This year’s glittering awards took place in front of an audience of nine thousand in Liverpool’s Echo Arena. After last year’s heavily criticised event, this year saw a slick run through of all the achievements of the year and celebrated the highlights. No gimmicks were needed in what has been an exceptional year, as athlete after athlete was invited to the stage.

The night belonged to the cyclists however, who took Team of The Year. Dave Brailsford also took a well-deserved Coach of The Year award and Hoy rounded off the evening by winning the publicly voted Sports Personality title.

Paralympics double gold medallist Eleanor Simmonds beat off competition from Laura Robson and Tom Daley to be named the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year for 2008. Simmonds, won gold in the 100m and 400m freestyle. Her victory in the 100m saw her become Britain’s youngest ever-individual Paralympic gold medallist at the age of 13.

Strong favourite Rebecca Adlington took third in the Sports Personality award and was featured heavily throughout the evening.

Other awards included Usain Bolt as overseas sportsman, Alastair Hignell won the Helen Rollason award, Sir Bobby Charlton took the Lifetime Achievement award and Ben Geyser was awarded the Unsung Hero accolade.

Danielle Sellwood, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine

Read our interviews with the winners and nominees:

Rebecca Adlington
Rebecca Romero
Victoria Pendleton
Nicole Cooke
Sharon Laws
Christine Ohurougu