Britain has developed a love affair with the world’s most famous bike race in recent years and that has deepened in 2014 after the Tour came across the Channel to wow audiences across the country back in July.

“These are kids that mainstream education had almost given up on,” said Jordan Clarke, the assistant head of the Hackney Boxing Academy.

Few people would see a silver medal at an Olympic Games as a disappointment, but when Bayley finished runner-up in London 2012, he vowed that he would go one better at the 2014 World Championships.

Lambert suffers from severe cerebral palsy, and successfully scaled Pen Y Fan – a 2,907ft peak in the Brecon Beacons to raise money for the RNLI and the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and the RYA Foundation.

Charlton Athletic’s ‘Charlton Upbeats’ project enables children of all ages with Down’s syndrome to enjoy the beautiful game – but that success wouldn’t be possible without the enthusiasm and drive of the likes of Alexandra Goldstone.

There are few clubs in the world, let alone Britain, that can boast of having such an influence on football as Senrab.

When Zafran’s young brother-in-law was murdered in Birmingham four years ago, he could have been forgiven for throwing in the towel and giving in to anger and bitterness.

Until Louis Smith won a bronze in Beijing in 2008, no British male gymnast had found himself on an Olympic podium since 1928 – now Regini-Moran is out to ensure that the country’s golden gymnastics era continues.

It had been 20 years since England’s women had been crowned world Rugby Union champions but that long wait finally ended this summer – thanks to a team nurtured by a man who can now claim to be one of international rugby’s most successful coaches.

Winning any athletics title is tough enough – but winning one at the age of 40 would generally have been considered impossible. Unless, of course, your name just happens to be Jo Pavey.