It’s that time of the year again when BBC viewers start being asked to select the man - or woman- considered the outstanding sports personality of the year.

And what a year 2016 has been. One in which we have been spoiled for choice.

But surely not any more.

Andy Murray’s elevation to the number one spot in world tennis makes it  a no-brainer - for me, anyway.

Can there be any argument that he is currently Britain’s leading sports figure?

Only 26 men have held that solitary ranking since the calculations became computerised 43 years ago. "Being number one is the pinnacle of all the ambitions of every player," said Novak Djokovic, the man Murray has just deposed. "This is the dream."

 But what about those illustrious record-breaking Olympians who also struck gold in Rio? 

A total of 67 medals, with 27 golds, put Team GB second in the medal table - above China for the first time since the latter returned to the Games in 1984.

Britain won gold medals across more sports than any other nation - 15 - and improved on their medal haul for the fifth consecutive Olympics.

 A first Olympic diving gold, a first Olympic gymnastics gold, and then a second, from the same man, a few hours later. The first woman in history to win an Olympic boxing gold, the first to retain one too, plus one Mohamed Muktar Jama Farah, aka Mo, the most successful British track athlete in modern Olympic Games history, the 2015 and 2016 champion in both the 5000 and 10,000 metres.

Personalities including Farah, gymnast Max Whitlock, swimmer Adam Peaty, cyclists Jason Kenny and Laura Trott, veteran showjumper Nick Skelton, golfer Justin Rose and pioneering double boxing gold medallist Nicola Adams can all rightfully claim to be contenders for the award.

But my vote will be firmly cast for the defending champion, even though his sport is not one which usually grabs me by the tennis balls.

I have noted the strong arguments for Farah, as well as for Anthony Joshua, the 2012 Olympic super-heavyweight gold medallist and now undefeated IBF world heavyweight champion.

True, big Josh puts bums on seats, in every sense judging by the quality of his opposition, and he oozes charisma. But such an award would be just a tad premature.

Normally there would be plenty of support for Sir Bradley Wiggins, too, but this seems to have ebbed away in the light of his admitted acuisition of steroids under the deeply controversial but apparently legitimate  Therapeutic Use Exemption.

 For me,in such an productive year the  young man  who runs Murray closest is the brilliant gymnast Max Whitlock, who became Britain's first- ever gold medalist in artistic gymnastics when he won both the men's floor and pommel horse disciplines in Rio. With ten global medals, and three global titles, Whitlock is the most successful male gymnast in his nation's history.

But when we come to judge which an Olympic winner deserves to be in contention for top spot let’s not forget that Murray was one too- for the seconds successive Games.

As well as Wimbledon champion for the second time, too.

While 25 five players have achieved the numero uno position in those 43 years,  for nearly 13 seasons now only three have been at the pinnacle – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic
Now Murray joins that truly elite band.

The 29-year-old Scot’s singularity of purpose and constant desire for self-improvement is a welcome rarity among modern British sports figures, his new position reflecting his remarkable consistency over the past 12 months.

So how’s this for a citation: The first Grand Slam win by a British tennis player since 1936. The first British Wimbledon men’s winner in 77 years. The first Briton to win two Wimbledon titles since Fred Perry. The first British Olympic gold medallist since 1908. The only double Olympic gold medallist, from any country, in singles events. Davis Cup winner. And now this: world No 1. The only British tennis player to occupy that slot since the ATP began issuing rankings.

Sportsmen have been knighted for less- and I forecast that at the end of the year, Murray will receive this ultimate accolade, too.

 He deserves it more that several from the world of sport who have knelt for the royal tap on the shoulder in the past.

Usually it is reserved for this whose careers have concluded but there is certainly no problem in being a working – or playing – knight.

Sir Bradley Wiggins, Sir Chris Hoy, Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Nick Faldo and currently Sir Ben Ainslie are examples of sporting knights who continued to joust.

Just like football legend Sir Stanley Matthews, the only player to have been knighted while still playing football - at 50.

Murray has matured from the once taciturn, chippy young man into a world-beating athlete who is now such an impressive ambassador for British sport.

True, his on-court behaviour can still be rather petulant in his quest for perfection.

But this is compensated by Murray’s innate e off-court modesty and passionate support for others.

 “No disrespect to any current or past sportsmen or women in Scotland, but I think he is the greatest," says Sir Chris Hoy. "I am a massive fan of a number of different athletes, in awe of the achievements of so many Scottish sportsmen and women.

“But I personally think that what he has done, in such a competitive era, in such a high profile sport, while there still is more to come, just from his achievements so far I would say he is our greatest-ever sportsperson."

 A truibute from a fellow Scot and Olympian great which surely will be reflected when those SPOTY votes are counted in December- and doubtless noted by Lord Coe and the sports honours committee he chairs. Advantage Sir Andy...