Vote for your Fife Free Press Sports Personality of the Year 2019

The annual awards, supported by The Fife Free Press Group, is the largest celebration of sport in the Kingdom.

The event, which is now in its 12th year, pays tribute to the achievements of amateur sportsmen, women and children from the Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes and Levenmouth catchment areas.

An additional award, The Fife Free Press Group Sports Personality of the Year, also includes the region’s top sports professionals.

A shortlist has been created for this prestigious title, previously won by UFC star Steven ‘Braveheart’ Ray, Hibernian FC footballer Lewis Stevenson, and last year by Connor Wood of Kirkcaldy Rugby Club.

The winner will be decided by our readers via our online poll above, which will be refreshed daily so you can vote more than once, to ensure your sporting choice gets the recognition they fully deserve.

This year’s nominees are Jonny Adam, who won a record-extending fourth British GT title; Derek Rae, a silver medallist at this year’s London Marathon; golfer Calum Hill, who won twice on the 2019 Challenge Tour, and Rory Butcher, who won three titles in the British Touring Car Championships.

For more information on each nominee, scroll down the page. Voting closes on Monday, January 13, 2020.

Nominations are also open for the other eight award categories – open only to local individuals and clubs with amateur status – and the winners will be decided by a judging panel in the new year.

The categories are: Junior Award, Youth Award, Senior Award, Coach of the Year, Junior/Youth Team Award, Senior Team Award and Service to Sport.

For more information or to nominate a team or individual for an award visit the Kirkcaldy & Central Fife Sports Council website.

All winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in Fife College’s St Brycedale campus in March next year.

FIFE FREE PRESS SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

JONNY ADAM, motorsport

After finishing runner-up in this award four years running, perhaps it will be fifth time lucky for Jonny, who has once again had an excellent year in motor car racing.

The Kirkcaldy racer racked up a record-extending fourth British GT title – no other driver has more than two – despite being 54 points adrift with four races remaining.

He also reclaimed the GT3 and overall wins record driving Aston Martin’s new Vantage.

It led to Jonny becoming the first driver to receive a second Allan Simonsen Award, British GT’s highest non-championship achievement, in recognition of another momentous campaign.

In addition Jonny continues to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship - the pinnacle of the sport - claiming race wins in both Fuji and Shanghai as well as competing in his fourth Le Mans 24.

The former Balwearie High School pupil is now one of the UK’s most respected names in motorsport.

DEREK RAE, athletics

Derek’s proudest moment came in April when he claimed a silver medal at the London Marathon.

Smashing his previous record, the Kirkcaldy para athlete came second in the World Para Athletics Championships held during the 26.2-mile event.

Derek, 33, crossed the finish line in a time of 2:27:08, carving six minutes off his personal best in a truly stunning performance.

Derek became a para athlete following severe injury to his arm and the right side of his body in a road accident nine years ago.

He said: “We’ve sacrificed a lot over the last six years; myself, my wife, my team, and now we are starting to reap the rewards. Proud is an understatement.”

Derek is now focusing on his preparation for next year’s Paralympics in Tokyo.

He is an inspiration to all his club mates at Fife AC and Disability Sport Fife.

CALUM HILL, golf

Calum has been one of Europe’s in-form golfers throughout the year.

After earning his place on the Challenge Tour for 2019, the Kirkcaldy-born pro has exceeded expectations to finish second overall on the order of merit, and earn his European Tour playing card for 2020 with plenty to spare.

Playing phenomenal golf, he won twice on the Challenge Tour in the opening weeks of the 2019 season, at the Euram Bank Open in Austria and the Made in Denmark Challenge.

Calum has already shown he can handle the step up to the main circuit, having recorded a top 30 finish on his European Tour debut at the Scottish Open back in July, and following this up with similar results at the Alfred Dunhill Links and the Spanish Open.

In September he was ranked as high as 126th in the world, making him Scotland’s number three behind Russell Knox and Bob McIntyre.

RORY BUTCHER, motorsport

Rory is shortlisted for the award for a second year running after having had the best season of his motor racing career in 2019.

The Kirkcaldy ace clinched not one, not two, but three championship titles in British Touring Cars, one of the most high-profile racing series in the UK.

After a dramatic final round at Brands Hatch, Rory had overturned a 22 point gap to Josh Cook to secure the Independents’ title by just two points.

He also secured the Jack Sears Trophy – awarded to the Independent driver who achieves the greatest improvement from their respective grid positions over the entire season.

He also helped his Cobra Sport AmD team to secure the Independent Teams’ Trophy in its first season running the two ex-Eurotech Honda Civic Type Rs.

His fifth-placed position on the overall driver’s standings was also a fantastic accomplishment.

“It’s hard to believe what we have achieved,” Rory said.

“I think it will take some time to sink in.”