Gareth Bale flies football flag in BBC Sports Personality awards

There might be ten contenders in the running for the 2014 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award on Sunday, but it's two horse race.

Golfer Rory McIlroy, who has swept all before him this year and Formula 1 's Lewis Hamilton look set to fight out a fascinating duel with the public deciding the winner.

Hamilton is only the second English driver to regain the title but there is a feeling as good as he is - the quality of his car also played a massive part and that might just sway against him.

McIlroy is undoubtedly the world's number 1 whichever way you look at it. He won two out of the four majors, helped Europe retain the Ryder Cup and is by far and away the best at his sport.

For all it's press and TV dominance, football is represent only by Gareth Bale, a 33/1 third favourite. In fact Ryan Giggs is the only football in the last decade to lift the trophy

Other nominees include gymnast Max Whitlock, swimmer Adam Peat, athlete Jo Pavey, boxer Carl Froch, dressage's Charlotte Dujardin, skeleton's Lizzy Yarnold, and Paralympic skier Kelly Gallagher and guide Charlotte Evans.

The public vote for their favourite by phone and online during the show.

The event, taking place before an audience of 12,000 at Glasgow's SSE Hydro arena, will celebrate a year of drama which included the World Cup, Winter Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

Voting details, including phone numbers for each nominee, will be announced during the programme, when people can also cast their votes online.

To vote online during the programme, you can register in advance.

Last year's Sports Personality winner, tennis star Andy Murray, said: "It has been a sensational year for sport in Scotland with the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup among lots of other major events that have taken place there.

"As a proud Scot, it's wonderful that we have been in the position to be able to host so many key events in the sporting calendar.

"Scotland did such a superb job of hosting the Commonwealths and the Ryder Cup, and I'm sure it will be no different for Sports Personality of the Year. It'll be a special night for the whole of Scotland and the UK, celebrating some of our best sportsmen and women."

Past 10 winners 
2013: Andy Murray (tennis)
2012: Sir Bradley Wiggins (cycling)
2011: Mark Cavendish (cycling)
2010: AP McCoy (horse racing)
2009: Ryan Giggs (football)
2008: Sir Chris Hoy (cycling)
2007: Joe Calzaghe (boxing)
2006: Zara Phillips (equestrian)
2005: Andrew Flintoff (cricket)
2004: Dame Kelly Holmes (athletics)
In addition to the main prize, there will also be seven other awards on the night:

•Team of the Year
•Coach of the Year
•Overseas Sports Personality of the Year
•Young Sports Personality of the Year
•Helen Rollason Award
•Lifetime Achievement Award - already announced, for cyclist Sir Chris Hoy
•Unsung Hero
For more details on voting terms and conditions, see www.­bbc.­co.­uk/­sport­sper­so­nality

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