Walliams heads awards field

It’s been a bad year for British sport. Success at world level has been virtually non-existent, and as a result, the market for BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year looks wide open.

	He not only completed the 21-mile swim, he did so in just over 10 hours and 30 minutes, becoming one of the 50 fastest people to do so. He also raised the small matter of £1m for Sport Relief

Indeed, such is the dearth of British sporting achievement in 2006, the comedian and star of Little Britain, David Walliams, is now the joint-favourite to win the award.

Walliams completed one of the most daunting challenges in world sport, swimming the English Channel.

When he started training for the challenge – only 10 per cent of people who attempt it manage to complete the crossing, while some have died – he could barely swim a mile.

Just nine months later he not only completed the 21-mile swim, he did so in just over 10 hours and 30 minutes, becoming one of the 50 fastest people to do so. He also raised the small matter of £1m for Sport Relief.

That sporting achievement compares very favourably with virtually anything that any UK sportsperson can boast so far in 2006, and the fact that the nearest rivals to Walliams (currently at 6.2 on Betfair) are Steven Gerrard (6.4) and co-favourite Colin Montgomerie (6.2) does suggest that it’s only a matter of time before Walliams heads the marke on his ownt.

“When we introduced David Walliams into the market he was an initial 119-1 chance, but that was obviously highly dismissive of a phenomenal sporting achievement,” said Betfair spokesman Tony Calvin.

“With a few notable exceptions, he is largely up against gallant British failures and in my opinion should be favourite.

“And, remember, the BBC have no shortage of footage of his swim – and that means he will getting plenty of airtime come the December trailers for the award.”

Of those on the list, only Ricky Hatton (13), Joe Calzaghe (20), Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor (150) and Graham Dott (170) can justifiably claim to lead the world in their respective disciplines, but the fact that Hatton, Calzaghe and Taylor cannot be seen on the Beeb almost unofficially rules them out of the running. That leaves Dott, who is far from a household name, despite winning the World Snooker Championship this year.

The usual suspects tend to come from football, tennis, cricket and athletics, four sports where Britain’s sportsmen and women have failed to hit the heights in 2006.

Walliams may not be famous as a sportsman, in fact he may not even be a sportsman, but it’s looking increasingly likely that he’ll be shortlisted for one of British Sport’s most prestigious honours. After what he’s achieved I doubt there’ll be many arguments if he actually won it.