‘Robbery’? Shane Lowry beats Katie Taylor to RTE Sports Person of the Year
Shane Lowry beat Katie Taylor to victory in the RTE Sports Person of the Year race.
The golfer collected the gong after being announced the winner live on RTE on Saturday night.
The popular Offally golfer was favourite heading into the final hurdle considering he brought a lead from the public vote into the judges panel stage.
The Clara man was rewarded for his efforts on the golf course which peaked when he became the fifth Irish player to lift the Claret Jug. He also won his first tournament in three and a half years with victory in the Abu Dhabi Championship at the start of the year.
Taylor also enjoyed a sensational year as her historic career reached new heights. The 2012 winner and former amateur standout made a significant mark on the pro game over the last 12 months.
Shane Lowry over Katie Taylor who unified a Division in boxing then won a world title at a different weight class. Are you smoking gear?
— Cian (@Ciano316) December 14, 2019
In June she became the first Irish person to unify an entire division when beating Delfine Persoon in New York. In October the Bray fighter topped a Manchester Arena card and joined Steve Collins and Carl Frampton on the Irish two weight world title list.
However, neither achievement were deemed good enough for Taylor to be crowned Sports Person of the Year.
Lowry was always going to be front runner for the feel good factor around his success and the fact it didn’t come in a minority sport, but still there were a host upset Taylor was over looked and they expressed their opinions online. Some going as far as to call it a ‘robbery’.
Below is a small sample of some of the reaction- although there were those who argued Lowry was deserving winner, plus those who point out we should celebrate both sports person’s success.
Shane Lowry over Katie Taylor who unified a Division in boxing then won a world title at a different weight class. Are you smoking gear?
— Cian (@Ciano316) December 14, 2019
Shane Lowry over Katie Taylor who unified a Division in boxing then won a world title at a different weight class. Are you smoking gear?
— Cian (@Ciano316) December 14, 2019
How was Katie Taylor not sports person of the year? Shocking. #rtesportsawards
— Conor Geraghty (@ConorGero) December 14, 2019
Barry McGuigan won the inaugural award back in 1985, the next boxer to pick it up was Michael Carruth in 1992, Katie Taylor won in 2012 and Michael Conlan was the last Irish boxer to win it having picked it up in 2015.
Conor McGregor, who had a professional boxing bout, won the honour in 2016.
Taylor was the only boxer to make the final shortlist, but Aoife O’Rourke and Kurt Walker appeared on the long list.
