Irish Jockey Rachel Blackmore Voted 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.

The 32-year-old became the first female rider to win the Grand National at Aintree with victory on 11-1 chance Minella Times in April. 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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Blackmore Favoured to Win World Sport Star Title

Jumps jockey Rachael Blackmore has been nominated in the World Sport Star category at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. Blackmore will be competing against tennis superstar Novak Djokovic and American football quarterback Tom Brady, boxer Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, Formula One star Max Verstappen and Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah.

The first woman to win the Cheltenham Champion Jockey title on the back of six wins during the festival including Honeysuckle (GB) (Sulamani {Ire})'s G1 Champion Hurdle victory, Blackmore also was the first female jockey to win the G3 Grand National aboard Minella Times (Ire) (Oscar {Ire}) in April.

Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes said, “Rachael Blackmore goes up against a list of global superstars in a bid to become the BBC World Sports Star of the Year. Her rivals have all achieved incredible things, but we think Blackmore comes out on top after she became the first female to win the Grand National.”

Voting has opening for the award and will close at 1 p.m. on Dec. 14, with the winner announced live on Dec. 19.

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