Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore has won the BBC’s World Sport Star award, making her the first person from Ireland to win the award.
As reported in The Irish Times, Blackmore was up against some of the biggest sports stars in the world including Formula One world title winner Max Verstappen, boxer Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, NFL quarterback Tom Brady, tennis star Novak Djokovic and sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah.
Congratulations, @RachaelBlackmor!
The Irish jockey has been voted World Sport Star at BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2021.#SPOTY
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 19, 2021
The award comes after Blackmore was named The Irish Times/Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year and the RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year this weekend.
The decorated jockey made history this year with a number of big wins. At the Cheltenham Festival, she was the first-ever woman to be named Top Jockey with six wins, including in the Champion Hurdle with Honeysuckle.
At Aintree, she became the first female jockey to win the Grand National with Minella Times.