Image source, Getty Images

You're 2-0 down in the final of the European Championship. Time is running out... but you draw level. Then win on penalties.

How the England football team would like that to play out next summer.

Just like it did for the England women's hockey team in August.

The men had a decent year too... the GB team reaching the World League final and turning over the world's best team, Australia, 5-2 in Raipur.

We'll raise a glass (of water, we're working!) to that one.

In wheelchair tennis, Jordanne Whiley, 23, won her first Grand Slam singles title at the US Open having already won the doubles titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

While Gordon Reid, 23, won the the men's wheelchair doubles in the US Open and French Open.

Andy Lapthorne also enjoyed grand slam success - winning his fourth Australian Open quad doubles title.

Image source, Wimbledon

It has been another dominant year for Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams - who were both on the shortlist for the BBC's Overseas Sports Personality of the Year 2015.

Serbia's Djokovic won three of the four major titles and only defeat by Stan Wawrinka in the French Open final prevented him from completing the first calendar Grand Slam in men's tennis since Rod Laver in 1969.

America's Williams also fell one title short of total domination, losing to Italy's Roberta Vinci in the US Open semi-finals to deny her the 'Serena Slam'.

For Britain, Jamie Murray was a runner-up in the men's doubles in both the US open and Wimbledon.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson on BBC Radio 5 live: "I've probably had more emails about Joe Root [being omitted] than I have about Tyson Fury. The really challenging thing is how you balance the performances against each other. There are so many good performances, if only we could have had a list of 15."

Image source, #spoty

Another athlete to put her name up in lights this year was Lizzie Armitstead.

A dream was realised when Armitstead became world road race champion with a breathtaking triumph in America.

The Olympic silver medallist won the gruelling 130km race by a wheel in Richmond, Virginia. That's like riding from London to Calais... and only winning by a slither of tyre.

Armitstead also won a second successive Road World Cup and claimed the British title - just 11 days after being taken to hospital following a crash at the Women's Tour.

She's on the shortlist tonight. Voting details here.

Image source, #spoty

Domestically, Yorkshire continue to rein supreme - winning the County Championship yet again.

And all this without a host of England players, including a certain Mr Joe Root.

The 24-year-old broke the England record for most runs in a calendar year across all formats - hitting 2131.

It's been a hectic year for the England cricket team.

The less said about the World Cup in February and March the better. Instead, shall we focus on the Ashes?

Why? Because they're back in England after being wrested back from Mitchell Johnson and Co during a thrilling summer.

It all reached a crescendo when Stuart Broad took 8-15 to steamroller the Aussies for 60 all out on that magical first day at Trent Bridge.

Which, lest we forget, led to this iconic image...

Image source, Getty Images

Kevin's brought all his mates with him.

Imagine that phone call to the organisers.

"Can I bring a mate?"

"Yes, how many?"

"20, maybe 30?"

Darren Campbell
Former British sprinter on BBC Radio 5 live

"It's things like that that make you love sport so much. It is an inspirational tool, what that young man has done, and it shows how sport can change people's lives."

A rugby league player has never featured in the top three of the main SPOTY award, so Kevin Sinfield will be hoping to change that tonight.

The 35-year-old finished his rugby league career on a high, featuring in Leeds Rhinos' treble-securing Super League Grand Final win against Wigan.

The former England captain spent nearly two decades with the Rhinos,making his debut at 16, and in 2015 became only the fourth rugby league player to pass 4,000 career points.

At the age of 35, the stand-off has switched to union with Yorkshire Carnegie. Voting details here.

John Inverdale
BBC Radio 5 live presenter

"There's a few tears here in the SSE Arena tonight, I tell you."

All bets are off. Bailey Matthews is my new hero.

"You can stop cheering now," he tells the crowd.

A lovely boy. An absolute inspiration.

Sport is "amazing", he tells Gabby.

What an amazing video...

Image source, PA

Bailey Matthews, from Doncaster in South Yorkshire, is an eight-year-old boy with cerebral palsy who completed his first triathlon unaided in the summer.

He competed in the children's event at Castle Howard in North Yorkshire in July, swimming 100m, riding a bike for 4km and running for 1.3km.

Despite stumbling twice on his way to the finish line, he picked himself up and ran the final 20m of the course without his walking frame.

Watch the video for yourself and swell with joy and pride for one of our country’s true heroes.

He is given a standing ovation in Belfast.

The winner of BBC Sports Personality of the Year’s Helen Rollason Award is Bailey Matthews.

It's presented by One Direction's Niall Horan and Olympian Becky Adlington.

Image source, .

Voting for BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2015 will open as announced on the show. If you want to vote online, find out here, or you can cast your vote via telephone.

Simply call the mobile or landline numbers below, followed by the two-digit number for the contender you want to vote for. For Mobile call: 62282 -- Landline call: 09015 22 82 --

Don't call now though - wait for voting to open.

Lizzie Armitstead: 01

Lucy Bronze: 02

Jessica Ennis-Hill: 03

Mo Farah: 04

Chris Froome: 05

Tyson Fury: 06

Lewis Hamilton: 07

Andy Murray: 08

Adam Peaty: 09

Greg Rutherford: 10

Kevin Sinfield: 11

Max Whitlock: 12

Calls to the short number from your mobile cost 15p, calls to the long number cost 15p plus your network's access charge. Please ask the bill payers permission.

I'm not one to talk... but what is that hat about, Lewis?

Image source, .