ATHERTON’S newly crowned Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson is now the odds-on favourite to be crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2024.

Betfred have Britain’s only track and field gold medal winner clearly ahead of the field with odds of 4/11.

Keely’s pursuit of the the top place on on the podium finally ended in Paris with her 800m gold medal success after winning silvers at the Tokyo games and two previous World Championships.

Now she’s in pole position for this year’s BBC prize, with teenage darter Luke Littler second favourite at 6/1 followed by cyclist Mark Cavendish, record holder for the most individual stage victories in the Tour de France, who is 14/1.

Emma Finucane is 16/1 with mountain biker Tom Pidcock a 22/1 shot after retaining his Olympic title.