A huge congratulations is in order for Irish Jockey Rachael Blackmore who has been named BBC’s World Sports Star at the Sports Personality Of The Year Awards.
Speaking of her win Rachael said, “The support has been incredible and I got such a kick out of being on that list of nominees. It’s kind of overwhelming. It’s unbelievable.”
Rachael’s fellow nominees in that category were F1 driver Max Verstappen, boxer Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, NFL quarterback Tom Brady, tennis star Novak Djokovic and sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah.
“I never even dreamt they could happen to be honest. It’s far surpassed anything I could have ever imagined. It’s just been an incredible year,” she continued.
A humble Rachael Blackmore is left ‘overwhelmed’ after landing the RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year award for 2021. pic.twitter.com/SLJHK5dRCk
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) December 18, 2021
“The reaction has been brilliant, obviously for me personally they are such massive things to achieve but I think when you can bring a bit of joy to other people that makes it even more special.”
Rachael also revealed that although she has achieved many great things in her sport, she is not yet used to the limelight and attention, “I think it’s the same across the board with all of us, we’re in our sporting bubble and we’re doing our job. This is your job to get up and speak (she says pointing to the presenters on the night).
“As athletes and as sports people we are just trying to do the best we can in what we’re good at, but to be picking up awards like this is just incredible.”
This year Rachael became the first female jockey to win the Grand National and the first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle and be named Top Jockey at Cheltenham.
What a year! Congratulations Rachael!