Sebastian Coe has been honoured with a special award at the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year show. Lord Coe was presented with a surprise one-off award in recognition of his role in leading the winning London 2012 Olympic bid.
In July, London beat favourites Paris for the right to host the Games in Britain for the first time since 1948.
The former middle-distance runner was handed the award by fellow Olympic gold medallist Daley Thompson.
Thompson said: "In every walk of life there is a dearth of good leadership. Seb took our bid from being an also-ran and made it a winner.
"As he said, he didn't do it alone, but it was his drive and his conviction.
"The Olympic Games won't be a cure-all but it will provide us with opportunities and possibilities. These chances are provided by the inspiration of my friend here."
An emotional Coe paid tribute to a "Herculean team effort" in winning the 2012 Games.
He said: "All the guys who flew around the world for us and we could not have done it without them and it is for them."
It is not the first time that Coe has been honoured on the BBC show.
In 1979, he was named Sports Personality of the Year after becoming the only man in athletics history to hold three different world records (800m, 1500m and mile) at the same time. Coe, who won Olympic 1500m gold medals at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics, joined London's bid team as one of three vice-chairmen two years ago.
But by May last year he was in charge, taking over from American businesswoman Barbara Cassani.
Paris had been favourites throughout the campaign but Coe helped London produce the late charge which saw them pip their French rivals.
London won the two-way fight by 54 votes to 50 at the International Olympic Committee meeting in Singapore, after bids from Moscow, New York and Madrid were eliminated.
MMIX
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