BOLT BEATEN TO THE LINE BY CARTER IN SPORTS PERSONALTY RACE

Photo: Usain Bolt (Getty Images)

Track and field superstar Usain Bolt who is virtually unbeaten on the track, had to settle for the runner up spot in the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year for 2015 race.

The triple Gold medallist from the Beijing world championship in August was named runner up to New Zealand Rugby star Dan Carter.

The winner had the distinction of seeing his country retain the World Cup in October 2015. The Racing 92 fly-half was crowned World Rugby Player of the Year.

Bolt also lost out to America’s Decathlete Ashton Eaton in the IAAF World Athlete of the year race and was also in the running with football’s golden boy Lionel Messi for 2015 for Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year. The award was eventually won by BBC Sports Personality Nominee and Tennis number one female player Serena Williams.

Bolt was atop in the Caribbean Sports journalists’ Association (CASJA) awards. He is also leading nominee in the RJR Sports man and Woman Awards slated for January 2016.

It was a very tight field that was involved in the bid for the prestigious UK awards, with the likes of Tennis first lady Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic, America’s top female swimmer Katie Ledecky, and American Golfer Jordan Spieth.

The winner of the Award was decided by public vote for the first time since its inception.