THE Advertiser can reveal our shortlist for Sports Personality of the Y
ear.

We’ve had to whittle down the final five from a longlist of Redditch and Alcester folk who have excelled during 2014.

First up is Redditch speed skater Charlotte Gilmartin who has had one of her best years.

Now based in Nottingham as part of her involvement with Team GB, she won a silver medal at the European Championships in Germany in the 3,000m relay.

But her biggest achievement was qualifying

for her first ever Winter Games in Sochi where she got a taste of what a major tournament is like.

The 24-year-old competed in the heats of the 1500m and reached the quarter-final of the 500m.

Meanwhile, mountain bike rider Beth Crumpton is another Redditch resident who has emerged onto the international scene with a vengeance.

The 20-year-old retained her title as national U23 champion in Shropshire and qualified for the Glasgow Games in the summer.

She then more than held her own in Scotland, coming ninth in the cross country despite being one of the youngster competitors.

Batsman Luke Sugg has smashed his way into the reckoning late on with a powerful display of batting at the Blind Cricket World Cup in South Africa.

Sugg, who plays for Warwickshire, was the tournament’s leading run-scorer as he racked-up 589 runs at an average of 147.3 runs a match as England reached the semi-finals.

Boxer Andrew ‘D’Animal’ Robinson has certainly had a year to remember.

The 30-year-old super middleweight started 2014 by winning the British Masters bronze belt and then went on to stretch his unbeaten record to 13 bouts.

That success earned his a shot at

the vacant WBO European belt and despite a desperately narrow defeat to Frank Buglioni, his brave display impressed the likes of Frank Warren.

Last but not least is Redditch Swimming Club captain Paul Wilkes, who won gold in the 100m and 200m butterfly events British Gas ASA National Masters, setting a new record in the latter distance.

To support your favourite go to our sport section at redditchadvertiser.co.uk and start voting.

The deadline is midnight on Sunday,

January 11.