What the World is Looking for

The 2008 BBC Sports Personality Of The Year awards were held at The Echo Arena in Liverpool and covered live on BBC One on Sunday December 14, 2008.

BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2008

Top ten nominees were announced on December 1.

Leading the pack this year included odds-on popular favorites including Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington and Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton.

More Olympic champs named to the list included sailor Ben Ainslie and 400m gold medalist Christine Ohuruogu, and cycling stars Nicole Cooke, Chris Hoy, Rebecca Romero and Bradley Wiggins.

British tennis champ Andy Murray also made the list along with a repeat appearance by last year's winner, boxing great Joe Calzaghe.

Who were the 2008 winners?

Taking top honors this year was triple Olympic gold medal-winner cycler Chris Hoy with another first place finish (off the track) as the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2008.

Coming in second was F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, and in third place Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington. More top awards went to:

Team of the Year - British Olympic cycling team
Coach of the Year - David Brailsford
Unsung Hero Award - Ben Geyser
BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year - Eleanor Simmonds