BETH Tweddle was named the BBC's North West Sports Personality of the Year this week as she prepared to travel to Birmingham to discover if the nation agrees.
She saw off competition from Sale Sharks and England rugby union fly-half Charlie Hodgson and rugby league's treble-winning St Helens and Great Britain full-back and this year's Man of Steel Paul Wellens.
She also received the Radio Merseyside Sports Personality of the Year award.
Despite not being favoured by the bookies for Sunday's overall Sports Personality of the Year award - some betting websites have seen Beth's odd drift from 50-1 last week to 80-1 this - she continues to garner support in the sport media world.
Boxing commentator Steve Bunce told viewers of the BBC's amateur boxing coverage on Sunday that Tweddle deserved the award more than Joe Calzaghe and she has also been adopted as the BBC Breakfast News sport team's preferred candidate.
If she did win, the 21-year-old from Bunbury would become the first ever gymnast to receive the Sports Personality award in its 52-year history.
The awards will be televised live from 7pm on Sunday on BBC One and viewers will be able to vote live on the night via voting hotlines and mobile texts.
The Chronicle is supporting Beth and is asking you, our readers, to do the same.
She stands out from her fellow short-listed stars. Her achievements are greater than boxer Calzaghe's as she has won consistently on foreign shores.
Compared to golfer Darren Clarke, horse-rider Zara Phillips and Formula One driver Jenson Button, she has not been able to perfect her sporting ability thanks to wealth and lucrative sponsorship.
She has beaten the world and actually won something tangible with a fraction of the investment in talent that tennis star Andy Murray and cricketer Monty Panesar received.
Phil 'The Power' Taylor must be disregarded as he only won so much by starting his own league. Only Ricky Hatton and cyclist Nicole Cook are left on the list who can measure their achievements alongside Beth's.
But Beth's World Championship win is an all-time first, truly unique. It is for this reason we are backing Beth and urging you to help us make her BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2006.
