Teenage US Open champion Emma Raducanu has been voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2021.
Raducanu, then 18, ended Britain’s 44-year wait for a women’s Grand Slam singles champion with her remarkable victory at Flushing Meadows.
Her fairytale win followed a run to the Wimbledon fourth round in July on her Grand Slam main draw debut.
In a public vote, diver Tom Daley placed second and swimmer Adam Peaty was third.
Manchester City and England forward Raheem Sterling, boxer Tyson Fury, and Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian Sarah Storey were also shortlisted for the main award.
“It’s such an honour just to be among these nominees. Congrats to you and all your achievements,” Raducanu said.
Now 19 and ranked British number one, Raducanu becomes the first female tennis player to be crowned Sports Personality of the Year since Virginia Wade in 1977 – the last British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title.
Meanwhile, Gareth Southgate has been named Coach of the Year and England Team of the Year. Southgate led the Three Lions football team to the Euro 2020 final at Wembley, where they lost to Italy on penalties.
But in reaching the final, England ended their 55-year wait for a major final since the 1966 World Cup triumph.
It is the second time Southgate, 51, has been named Coach of the Year, having first won the award in 2018.
England men last won the Team of the Year award in 1966.
Southgate has been England manager since September 2016 and recently signed a new contract until December 2024.
He initially took over as caretaker manager from Sam Allardyce before being appointed permanently two months later.
In 2018, he led England to the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 28 years, while under his tenure, they also finished third in the Uefa Nations League.
The defeat by Italy in the Euros final was England’s only loss in 2021.
In total, England have won 44 of their 68 matches under Southgate, with 14 defeats and 10 draws. (BBC)
