By BBC (Sports) | Created at 2024-12-15 07:32:46 | Updated at 2024-12-15 10:01:42
2 hours ago
One of Nikki Rollason's most endearing memories from her childhood is of her mum, in their lounge, surrounded by newspaper back pages.
"It was just part of our life - her doing her research, really being curious and wanting to make sure the job she did was the absolute best," says Nikki.
Helen Rollason was a trailblazer in sports broadcasting as the first woman to present the BBC's flagship Grandstand programme. She also presented coverage from the Olympics, Paralympics, Wimbledon and Commonwealth Games.
Rollason continued to front sport bulletins on BBC News after being diagnosed with colon cancer, which later spread to her liver and lungs, in 1997.
She died two years later at the age of 43, but her legacy lives on. At this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year show, the Helen Rollason Award - which recognises outstanding achievement in the face of adversity - celebrates its 25th year.
"My mum was so humble, I think she would be really shocked that it's still going 25 years later, but we're really proud of that legacy," says Nikki, who was 16 when her mum died.
"Mum was such a trailblazer and for me the award really encapsulates that, but also I love the fact that it also encapsulates her spirit and her attitude - the fact she was like: 'Yes, something's happened, but we need to keep going, and what can I do to make things better?'
"It's really lovely to feel like her name is still out there. Obviously as the years go on, it's a bit different, but she's still remembered. It means a lot to us."
The first winner of the Helen Rollason Award was racehorse trainer Jenny Pitman, who retired after being diagnosed with cancer, while other recipients have included Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Frank Williams, Martine Wright, Billy Monger, Doddie Weir, Rob Burrow and last year's winner Fatima Whitbread.
Though Nikki does not decide the winner of the award, she acts as her mum's "voice in the room" during the selection process.
This year's show will be presented by the all-female line-up of Gabby Logan, Clare Balding and Alex Scott - something Nikki says her mum would love.
"When I see that, and when I see Olympic coverage, it just really makes me think of her and where she'd be," Nikki says.
"One of the things that I've been talking about recently is the audacity of my mum to just be like, 'Hi, I'm a woman, I'd like to be a presenter' in that day and age. It just blows my mind that she was just like: 'Yeah, I'm going to do this.'
"One of the reasons I'm really pleased about Sport Personality still continuing with mum's award is that I want my three-and-a-half-year-old daughter to grow up knowing who her grandmother was and her legacy.
"I want to pass that down to her to make her aware of this amazing woman who unfortunately is not with us any more, but she's got this amazing part of her history and I want her to grow up with that."
