2 - World Cup trophies held by England's men's cricketers after their T20 success in November.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

KJG: Man City coming back from the brink again on the final day of the season. Jake Wightman holding off Jakob Ingebritsen to 1500m gold. Keely Hodgkinson almost catching Mu in the last strides of the 800m. Ella Toone's brilliant goal in the Euro Final. Everton's great escape.

Sam Barlow, winner of the 2021 Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero award, reflects on winning the award and the changes it has made to her life and work.

Eight finalists have been named for this year's Unsung Hero award, which celebrates the sport volunteers whose work is making a real difference in communities across the UK every day.

This year's finalists are Mike Alden (Bristol), Rukhsana Hussain (Leicester), Nooh Omar Ibrahim (Cardiff), Mary O'Hagan (Ballyronan), Anna Pim (Belfast), Dave Thompson (Aberdeen), Helen Thornton (Ipswich) and Becca Todd (Bristol).

You can read more about each of them here.

Last year, Sam Barlow, founder of Humberside fitness club Fitmums & Friends, won the award.

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport

World 1500m champion Jake Wightman tuned into the Sports Personality show when he was growing up - and is now on the shortlist of six contenders for this year.

“It’s something I watch every year so to be on the shortlist is amazing. I’m sure it’ll be a fun night. It’s an opportunity I might not get again,” he said.

Gymnast Jessica Gadirova, curler Eve Muirhead, footballer Beth Mead, cricketer Ben Stokes and snooker player Ronnie O’Sulivan are the other nominees.

Andrew: Can't see past the Lionesses can you really. The Spain game at Brighton when Stanway fired a bullet in extra time to win the game. Also the memory of Jill Scott in the final and her choice words for that Germany player...

The famous faces continue to arrive and take their seats inside the Sports Personality TV studio.

Just half an hour to go now until the 69th awards show begins!

It will be the first time the show has been broadcast with an audience in attendance for three years.

Image source, Getty Images

Para-athlete Olivia Breen has been named the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year.

In August, Breen won Commonwealth Games gold as she beat English rival Sophie Hahn in a spectacular T37/38 100m race in Birmingham.

Breen's top career win was earned with a personal best time of 12.83 seconds.

"I'm shocked. I didn't expect to win. This is a massive honour with such strong performances in Welsh sport," said Breen.

"Being part of the team was just amazing and being a team captain [in athletics] with Osian Jones was a real special moment for me. At Team Wales everyone was so supportive, we supported one another and also after Covid, it makes you appreciate life and having a crowd as well."

Anna Thompson
BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

Diver Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix has been shortlisted for the Young SPOTY award, which she won a couple of years ago.

She’s had a phenomenal year winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the European Championships, which were held in Rome.

Andrea’s mum Alessandra is from Italy and told me: “It was amazing to see Andrea win in Rome and the village where I grew up have a plaque in honour of her. They are so proud that she is half Italian.”

Andrea was in demand for the photographers outside the venue, pictured here with curler Eve Muirhead.

I wonder what the "competitive kid" from Rosario, Argentina who wanted to win everything would say if he could have seen then what he would go on to achieve.

This is the story of Lionel Messi.

Argentina's World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi will be crowned World Sport Star of the Year after leading his nation to a first World Cup triumph in 36 years.

The Paris St-Germain forward, 35, won the tournament's Golden Ball - awarded to the best player - after scoring seven goals at his fifth, and potentially last, World Cup appearance.

The former Barcelona star, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest footballers of all-time, scored twice in the World Cup final and also converted a penalty in the shootout as Argentina beat holders France 4-2 on penalties following a thrilling 3-3 draw.

It meant he added football's biggest prize to a list of trophies that includes seven Ballons d'Or titles - awarded to the best footballer each year - four Champions Leagues, one Copa America, 10 La Liga titles with Barcelona and a Ligue 1 crown with PSG, along with taking his career goals tally to a staggering 793.

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport

Jess Ennis-Hill, Olympic heptathlon gold medallist at London 2012, can count herself as an athlete unlucky not to have been voted Sports Personality of the Year.

“I think I was second twice and third once. It’s always so hard because everyone has done amazing things,” she said on the red carpet at this year’s awards.

“Winning the Olympic title in 2012 was the highlight of my career and to be nominated was special. There were just so many gold medallists, and Bradley Wiggins won.”

Don't forget, we want to hear your sporting highlights of the past 12 months!

Was there a standout performance? A moment that will live long in the memory? A touching sporting gesture?

Get in touch via #bbcspoty on Twitter, drop us a text on 81111 (UK only - standard rates apply), or reach us on WhatsApp 03301231826.

Here's what Lifetime Achievement Award winner Usain Bolt had to say as he reflected on his glittering athletics career.

Jamaica's eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award at Sports Personality of the Year tonight.

The fastest sprinter in history, Bolt retired in August 2017 as a 19-time global champion, having been crowned Olympic 100m and 200m champion at three successive Games at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016.

"I'm living proof that if you work hard, you can get anything you want," Bolt told BBC Sport.

"One thing my dad taught me was if you want something, work hard for it. He showed me by working hard to provide for me, my mum and my sister, so when he told me, I believed it.

"Just be focused and work towards it."

Read more here.

A couple of tonight's award winners have already been announced, including Lifetime Achievement and World Sport Star of the Year.

Let's take a look at who will be honoured with those awards, and why...

We all know about the main award, which will be the final category decided tonight.

Before then there are many other achievements for us to celebrate. Here's what else is coming up:

• Young Sports Personality of the Year
• Lifetime Achievement
• Unsung Hero
• Helen Rollason award
• World Sport Star of the Year
• Team of the Year
• Coach of the Year

Anna Thompson
BBC Sport

The Sports Personality of the Year Trophy is on the red carpet and is proving a hit with sportsmen and sportswomen who want their photo taken with it.

But only one will be taking it home tonight.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

With it being that time of year when we reflect on the past 12 months, we’ve got a little quiz to test your knowledge of sport in 2022.

While you let us know your highlights of the year, we’re also going to leave you with six questions - and we'll reveal the answers a little later on. No cheating!

1. With defending champion Novak Djokovic having his visa cancelled, who went on to win the Australian Open men's singles title in Melbourne?
2. Amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen won the Grand National on which 50-1 shot at Aintree?
3. England fell to a narrow defeat by New Zealand in the final of the Women's Rugby World Cup in Auckland, ending a run of how many consecutive Test match victories for the Red Roses - 25, 30 or 35?
4. Who scored the only goal as Real Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0 in the men's Champions League final in Paris?
5. Who celebrated his first Formula One victory by winning the British Grand Prix at Silverstone?
6. Who scored Wales' only goal at the men's World Cup in Qatar?

Image source, Getty Images

In short, a lot.

Football came home as England women won Euro 2022, while the England men's side won the T20 Cricket World Cup.

There was also a record Commonwealth Games medal haul for home nations in Birmingham, while the women claimed curling gold at the Winter Olympics in Beijing and there was also a European Championships to enjoy at the end of the summer.

We’ve had three Rugby League World Cups, including victory for England in the wheelchair competition, as well as the women's Rugby World Cup, while the dust has barely settled on the men’s football World Cup.

Following two years of disruption caused by the pandemic, the sporting calendar really did return in full force in 2022.

Image source, Getty Images