Calzaghe Crowned Sports Personality

Joe Calzaghe completed the year in which he became the undisputed world super-middleweight champion by being voted the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year and then admitted: "I'm shocked."

Calzaghe achieved that feat when cheered on by 50,000 fans at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff as he defeated Denmark's Mikkel Kessler.

The 35-year-old has been a world champion for 10 years and won all 44 of his professional fights. Tonight he was presented with the BBC award in Las Vegas by former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.

It completed a family double as Joe's father and boxing trainer Enzo was voted coach of the year at the awards ceremony in Birmingham.

Lewis Hamilton capped a memorable first season in Formula One by being voted runner-up.

Hamilton just missed out on winning motor racing's jewel in the crown as he was pipped in the final round in Brazil by Kimi Raikkonen by a single point.

But Hamilton showed his class by winning four grands prix and achieving 12 podium finishes in a fierce battle with his McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso.

Ricky Hatton finished third in the poll only 15 hours after his WBC welterweight title fight defeat at the hands of Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas. It was the end of 29-year-old Hatton's streak of 43 successive wins in his career, including 31 knockouts.

The team of the year award was won by the England rugby union side who were narrowly beaten by South Africa in the World Cup final in Paris after a remarkable turn-around in their fortunes.

England recovered from losing 36-0 to South Africa in their group to overcome Australia in the quarter-finals and France in the last four.

They had last captured the award in 2003 when they lifted the World Cup courtesy of Johnny Wilkinson's dramatic drop-goal against Australia in final seconds of extra-time.

Coach Brian Ashton spelled out his desire to continue in the post. He said: "I'd love it again. I know there are people in the room who might be making that decision shortly. I'd love to do it again."

And Wilkinson is also keen to participate in the next tournament in four years. "I'm hoping I've got another World Cup in me," he said. "If I'm there in four years' time, then brilliant."

Tennis star Roger Federer won the overseas award for the third time in four years after equaling Bjorn Borg's record by securing a fifth successive Wimbledon singles title. Federer won three of this year's Grand Slams and becomes only the second person to win the overseas award on three occasions after Muhammed Ali.

Sir Alex Ferguson presented the lifetime achievement award to former England manager Sir Bobby Robson for his contribution to football. Sir Bobby has been involved in the game for six decades as player and manager since starting out as an inside forward with Fulham in 1950.

He was capped 20 times by England and as manager led them to the semi-finals of the World Cup in 1990. The former Barcelona and Newcastle boss, who is battling cancer, was given a standing ovation before receiving the award.