However, I think the jury began to look favourably at the proceedings within moments of the Parade of Champions and for all our current and topical names on parade, the two biggest cheers of the night went to Henry Cooper and Barry McGuigan.
Joe Calzaghe, our latest and arguably most illustrious addition to British Boxing World Champions must be wondering what he has to do to win the SPOTY but I was delighted that two of the top three final placing went to Olympic sports.
Beth Tweddle has achieved what no one else in her sport has in this country and won a world championship.
And Zara Phillips, who judging by her engaging surprise when I opened the envelope and Steve plonked the trophy in her hand, had clearly not been swept by public expectation and the bookies odds that morning.
I extended my stay in Birmingham today and addressed the Sport England West Midlands regional conference about Olympic opportunities. I’m now on my way to Hereford to visit the Royal National College for the Blind.
Comments for this post:
11 Dec 2006, colincapabilitybrown said:
Inviting the audience to view the Awards and sit beside sporting legends is an another good example of how we can include rather than exclude people with sport. In Rowing you have the opportunity to race on the same day as Olympic and World Champions. Your finishing time just like in the marathon is going to be considerably slower but what is important is that you can take part and be part of something bigger than yourself.