Sports Personality 2021: Rachael Blackmore crowned BBC's World Sport Star of the Year

Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore has been voted BBC Sports Personality's World Sport Star of the Year for 2021.

No other woman had ever finished in the first two of the famous steeplechase.

Blackmore also became the first woman to be leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival in March, where she racked up six victories.

She said receiving the World Sport Star award was "unbelievable".

"The support has been incredible. I got such a kick out of being on that list of nominees. This is just incredible," she added.

"My dreams were so big, but [this year] far surpassed anything I could have ever imagined.

"The reaction has been brilliant, I feel very privileged to have had the year I've had."

The previous best by a female rider in the National was Katie Walsh's third place finish in 2012. Women were not permitted to ride in the race until 1977, and in total, only 19 female jockeys have competed.

Topping an online public vote, Blackmore beat off competition from Mexican boxer Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, American football quarterback Tom Brady, Serbia's world number one tennis player Novak Djokovic, Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Dutch Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen.

The 2020 winner of the award was Russian UFC fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov.

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