It was a colourful start to 2020, as the eye-catching Peter Wright triumphed at Ally Pally to win the PDC World Darts Championship for the very first time. Wright isn’t what you’d call your average sports star. With his dyed mohawk, temporary head tattoos, and wardrobe that looks like he was caught in an explosion at a paint factory, the Scot is a one-off.

The Argentina rugby team

In case you missed it, November saw Argentina beat Rugby Championship rivals New Zealand for the first time. We’ll give you a second to read that sentence back. At the 30th attempt the Pumas stunned the mighty All Blacks 25-15 in Parramatta to send shockwaves around the rugby world. Sure, New Zealand walloped them 38-0 a couple of weeks later (you don’t beat the three-time world champs without repercussions), but no one can take this historic victory away from the Argentines. Bravo, boys!

Captain Sir Tom Moore

Doing 100 laps of your garden might not be an Olympic sport – yet – but one of the true heroes of 2020 gave us all a masterclass in determination and superhuman stamina earlier this year. Sir Tom’s exploits not only raised over £30 million (and counting), he also inspired millions of people across the UK with his can-do attitude.

Emily Scarratt

In a stop-start Women’s Six Nations, one star shone brighter than the rest: England centre Emily Scarratt. Named player of the tournament, Scarratt finished as the competition’s top scorer. But she didn’t stop there. Proving she had nerves of steel in November, Scarratt scored a last-gasp penalty to give England a series win over France.

Pernille Harder

The best of the best. The cream of the crop. The pyjamas of the cat. Having helped Wolfsburg to a fourth consecutive double last season, the dominant Danish striker’s record move to Chelsea has seen her go from good to blummin’ brilliant. The UEFA Women’s Player of the Year is a deadly finisher who is also admired for her off-field advocacy of important social issues.

Michael Jordan

So what if MJ has been retired since 2003? The Last Dance was arguably the best sports documentary of the year, introducing a whole new generation to the basketball icon’s outrageous talent. It also gave viewers a candid insight into the mentality of a pure-bred winner whose crusade to become the very best was deeply personal.

When is BBC Sports Personality Of The Year on TV?

You can watch the ceremony live at 8pm on BBC One HD (CH 101) on Sunday 20 December. Also available after broadcast in Apps & Games > BBC iPlayer.