Press Association
Sunday December 11, 2005 10:43 PM
Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff has been named BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2005.
The England all-rounder was favourite for the prestigious award after his man-of-the-series role in the summer Test success over Australia.
The 28-year-old is currently in Lahore with the England squad ahead of Monday's second one-day international and was woken up around 3am local time to be presented with the trophy by Ian Botham.
Flintoff topped the public poll ahead of his captain Michael Vaughan, Liverpool's Champions League-winning skipper Steven Gerrard, record-breaking yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur, rising tennis star Andy Murray and IBF light-welterweight champion Ricky Hatton.
Second went to MacArthur and Gerrard finished third in the viewers' poll.
Flintoff captured the public imagination after a series of outstanding performances - scoring 402 runs and taking 24 wickets - in England's first Ashes win since 1986-87.
The rest of the side were also recognised too with the Team of the Year award. Vaughan, who has returned home from Pakistan to undergo knee surgery, was in the studio in London to collect the prize along with team-mates Ashley Giles, Matthew Hoggard and Simon Jones.
Several other awards were also made on the night with Lord Sebastian Coe receiving a special one-off gong for his role in leading London's winning 2012 Olympic bid.
Brazil legend Pele received the lifetime achievement award for his contribution to football, a prize which was presented to him by Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, who was named coach of the year.
Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne was overseas sports personality and 17-year-old sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey was young sports personality.
