As GB's Olympic heroes return, who will win this year's SPOTY award?

GB olympic golds
Just a few of GB's olympic gold-medal winners Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Four-time Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah does not believe he will ever finish in the top three for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

The 33-year-old is one of the bookmakers' main contenders this year after he emulated Finnish track great Lasse Viren by retaining his Olympic 5,000 metres and 10,000m titles in Brazil.

But despite his achievements at London 2012 and Rio 2016, Farah - who finished fourth four years ago - feels he is unlikely to be in the running.

"I've never been in the top three of Sports Personality. And I won't be in the top three again.

Mo Farah
Mo Farah Credit: GETTY IMAGES

"You have just got to accept what it is. What drives me is winning medals and going out there and enjoy it.

"The public do get behind me. And whenever I compete in Britain they give me massive support."

Following GB's success at the Rio Olympics there are a number of contenders for this year's award. In fact, it's one of the tightest contests in ages.

Farah did the 'double double', Andy Murray won Wimbledon and a second Olympic gold and Jason Kenny now has six Olympic golds from three Games, - more than Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Bradley Wiggins - after winning three in Rio.

His partner - Laura Trott - has won four Olympic gold medals, more than any other British woman, after claiming two in Brazil, while GB gymnast Max Whitlock also became a double Olympic champion. He delivered the first ever British gold in his sport and became the first Briton to win two individual golds on the same day in the process.

Max Whitlock
Max Whitlock Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Katherine Grainger become Britain's most decorated female Olympian with a silver in the rowing double skulls, while Nicola Adams, Nick Skelton, Wiggins, Alastair Brownlee, Adam Peaty, Jade Jones, Jack Laugher, Justin Rose, Liam Smith, Giles Scott, Joe Clarke, Helen Glover and Heather Stanning and all the other gold-medal winners in Brazil are in with a shout.

And let's not forget Chris Froome. He may not have won gold in Rio - he had to settle for bronze - but he is now a three-time Tour de France champion. And Danny Willett became the first Briton to win the Masters in 20 years.

By the time this year's SPOTY takes place on December 18, Lewis Hamilton may have won his third Formula One title and there's a chance for the European team to hold the Ryder Cup for the ninth time in 11 stagings. But let's deal with the present.

As of right now, who will you pick to win this year's SPOTY?

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