Most people beforehand thought that it was between Rebecca Adlington and Lewis Hamilton. Would the public plump for the gifted poster boy of Formula One or pledge themselves for the 19-year-old swimmer from Mansfield?

But the triple Olympic gold-winning cyclist — one of seven Beijing Olympians on the shortlist of ten – burst through between them to seize the glory. Hamilton, typically, had come to win. On stage, he coolly deflected the opening question of Gary Lineker to say: “First of all, good evening, everyone. Thanks for the warm welcome.”

It is difficult to compete against electoral smoothness like that, particularly if, like Adlington, you have just been required to arrive in the arena via a steep ramp while wearing high heels – as tough a demand as any that the swimmer faced in Beijing.

This was altogether a weird design decision by the BBC, forcing some of the nation’s most physically confident people to come tottering unsteadily into view like hen-night participants in search of a minicab. Hoy, though, had come on his bike. The ramp was made for him. All credit to him for keeping his nerve in the final straight, but arguments will continue long into next year about whether the BBC provided a level playing field in Liverpool.

Sport, of course, is its own awards system. As such, the BBC’s silver trophy is a superfluity – a prize for prizewinners. Yet it seems tireless in its appeal (Hoy called it “the big one”) and once again millions will have tuned in for the annual thrill of seeing sportspeople with their clothes on. It wouldn’t be Sports Personality night, though, without one or two moments of leg-crossing, thumb-biting naffness. Last night, in this category, Zac Purchase, the Olympic oarsman, played Summertime on saxophone, Lineker turned rap MC to invite the house to “big up the oarsome foursome” (some Olympic rowers), and Sue Barker handed the Wimbledon men’s singles trophy to a bravely smiling Tim Henman.

The ovation for Sir Bobby Charlton, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award, threatened to take the ceremony into the early hours of this morning.

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