Sports Personality of the Year LIVE: Emma Raducanu wins 2021 prize
Follow live reaction after Emma Raducanu beats Tom Daley and Adam Peaty to the 2021 award
Follow live reaction after Emma Raducanu was voted the 2021’s Sports Personality of the Year in recognition of the 18-year-old’s stunning victory at the US Open in September. Raducanu became Britain’s first female singles Grand Slam champion for 44 years when she defeated Leylah Fernandez in a thrilling final in New York.
Tom Daley finished second with Adam Peaty in third. Tyson Fury, Dame Sarah Story and Raheem Sterling were also nominated on the six-person shortlist. Raducanu becomes the first woman to win the award since Zara Phillips in 2006.
“It was such an honour to be named amongst these nominees,” said Raducanu, who was unable to be at the ceremony after tested positive for Covid-19. “To win is pretty amazing to me. I’m really happy with this as I watched Sports Personality of the Year growing up, but I’m really humbled to be able to join the past winners. I’m really happy as well for British tennis that we were able to win this award again. Thank you to all the voters and fans for their support this year - it’s been insane.”
Raducanu rose to prominence during her run to the fourth round of Wimbledon in July before she had to withdraw from her match due to breathing difficulties. But the teenager learned from the experience and didn’t drop a single set on the way to becoming the first qualifier to reach a Grand Slam final, where her dramatic victory over Fernandez captured the attention of the country. Follow below for latest reaction and a full list of award winner from Sports Personality of the Year.
Sports Personality of the Year 2021
Time for the review of domestic football - the year of the Blues, is what they call it. Manchester City won the Premier League and League Cup double, while Leicester claimed victory in the FA Cup final against Chelsea. But Kai Havertz then scored the crucial goal as Chelsea defeated City to life their second Champions League crown.
Sports Personality of the Year 2021
That leads us into Dame Sarah Storey’s feature - her record-breaking 17th gold medal in Tokyo ensured her status as Great Britain’s greatest-ever Paralympian.
“I just wanted to do this for as long as I possibly can,” she says as she looks back on a photo of her at her first Paralympics Games. “I didn’t think I’d still be doing it into my 40s.”
She talks about the struggles of leaving her family in order to go to Tokyo and is asked about where she found the motivation from to get into sport.
“I think it comes from when I was very young and going to morning training. It taught me the importance of intrinsic motivation,” she says.
“Age is just a number - we know in sport that we can always go a little bit further, to see what is possible.” She's setting her eyes on Paris 2024!
Sports Personality of the Year 2021
Paralympic swimmer Ellie Robinson presents the next segment, which is on ParalympicsGB’s phenomenal success in Tokyo this summer.
So many moments of triumph to look back on across those 12 days, in which they won more medals across more sports than any other country.
Sports Personality of the Year 2021
“it’s very, very hard to win one gold,” Peaty continues. “To win again is one thousand times harder. For me it was about going for it - you feel it in your heart and it’s my purpose to inspire people.”
Sports Personality of the Year 2021
Adam Peaty is the first of this year’s nominees to be featured. He became a Dad before going to Tokyo and he says that changed his perspective on swimming going into the Olympics, where he had to deal with the expectation of delivering gold.
And of course he did, as he defended his 100m breaststroke title and won gold in the medley.
“I think it’s purpose,” he says when asked to how becoming a father changed him. “I strive to be the best Dad and best athlete I can be for him,”
Sports Personality of the Year 2021
We start with a look back at the Tokyo Olympics - what a two weeks that was. Tom Dean, Duncan Scott and Adam Peaty led the way in the pool, Bethany Shriver and Kai White’s BMX joy was a brilliant success, Max Whitlock taking pommel horse gold, such brilliant moments.
Sports Personality of the Year 2021
Good evening! The show is underway, with Gary Lineker, Gabby Logan, Alex Scott and Claire Balding presenting this evening’s ceremony.
Sports Personality of the Year 2021
Recent winners
2020: Lewis Hamilton
2019: Ben Stokes
2018: Geraint Thomas
2017: Mo Farah
2016: Andy Murray
2015: Andy Murray
2014: Lewis Hamilton
2013: Andy Murray
2012: Bradley Wiggins
2011: Mark Cavendish
Sports Personality of the Year 2021
What other awards will there be?
World Sport Star of the Year
Team of the Year Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
Coach of the Year
Young Sports Personality of the Year
Helen Rollason Award
Unsung Hero Award
Sports Personality of the Year 2021
Who’s the favourite?
Emma Raducanu - 1/20
Tom Daley - 10/1
Tyson Fury - 33/1
Sarah Storey - 100/1
Adam Peaty - 100/1
Raheem Sterling - 150/1
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