SPOTY 2016: Yorkshire trio seeking perfect end to year

GREAT YEAR: Kadeena Cox celebrates winning the women's C4/C5 500 metres time-trial at the Rio Paralympics. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA.

Receiving the public backing in Sunday night's BBC vote would bring a perfect ending to a dream year for Yorkshire's three remaining SPOTY contenders.

Leeds paralympic heroine Kadeena Cox made history at Rio 2016 as she became the first British athlete to win a gold medal in two different sports for 28 years.

SPOTY 2016: Glory in Rio and compassion in Cozumel put Alistair Brownlee in fram...

The athlete, who has multiple sclerosis, claimed gold on two wheels in the C4/5 cycling time trial before winning the T38 400m on the track three days later. The 25-year-old was rewarded with the honour of carrying the Union flag at the closing ceremony.

Cox is one of three paralympians on the 16-strong shortlist and she has expressed that a win for herself, Dame Sarah Storey or Sophie Christianen would go a long way to showing that the movement is not just a sideshow to the Olympics.

Sunday’s party will be very different to the scenes in Jamie Vardy’s house as Tottenham Hotspur drew against Chelsea to hand Leicester City a first Premier League title in April.

The Sheffield striker’s rise from non league to Champions League has arguably been the story of the footballing world in 2016. His 24 goals guided the Foxes to a memorable championship and put him in the top ten of the Ballon D’or vote earlier this month.

Whatever happens in Birmingham, the smile on Leeds fighter Nicola Adams will still beam.

The 34-year-old could join Henry Cooper, Barry McGuigan, Lennox Lewis, and Joe Calzaghe in a list of boxing winners.

The accolade would be another to add to a glittering career which has seen a world championship and a second Olympic gold collected in 2016. By winning in Rio, Adams became the first British fighter to retain an Olympic crown for 92 years.