Nominees

Argentina Men's Olympic Basketball Team

Yalena Isinbayeva

Clodoaldo Silva

Huina Xiang

Shane Warne

Roger Federer

The year 2009 proved to be a historic one for Roger Federer as he passed many tennis milestones. His victory over Robin Soderling at the French Open made him one of only six men to have completed a career Grand Slam of Australian, French, Wimbledon and US Open titles.

Shane McConkey

Kelly Holmes

Ellen MacArthur

Only 28 and 5ft 3ins tall, Ellen MacArthur set the record for a round-the-world solo sail. She was, since 2001, already the fastest woman and youngest person ever to make a solo circumnavigation.

Dani Pedrosa