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Keely Hodgkinson was crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year at an awards ceremony in Salford on Tuesday night, at the end of a stunning year which saw her become the Olympic 800m champion in Paris.
Hodgkinson stormed clear to victory in the final to finally clinch a global gold medal, having won silver at the Tokyo Games three years earlier and twice won silver at the World Athletics Championships.
The Spoty award caps a brilliant 12 months for the 22-year-old during which she also successfully defended her European title and set a new British record of 1min 54.61sec, making her the sixth fastest woman in history.
After being announced the winner by Sir Chris Hoy, Hodgkinson said on stage: “This year has been absolutely incredible for me.
“I achieved everything I set out to do on the outdoor track, which is rare, so I’m so grateful to be in this position. Thank you to everyone who voted at home – I hope you all loved watching Paris just as much as I loved competing in it.”
Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows won the coach of the year award after guiding the athlete to glory, and Hodgkinson said: “I’m actually more excited for my coach to be honest, because I wouldn’t be where I am without him and his guidance that I have had since I was 17.”
Hodgkinson came out on top of a public vote in a six-athlete shortlist that contained serial Paralympic champion Dame Sarah Storey, Real Madrid and England star Jude Bellingham, England’s record Test run-scorer Joe Root, Olympic triathlon gold medallist Alex Yee and teenage darts sensation Luke Littler, who was presented with the Young Sports Personality of the Year prize.
Littler became the youngest player to reach the World Darts Championship final at the age of 16 years and 347 days, and also won the Premier League Darts, Grand Slam and World Series of Darts finals.
He also finished second in the main award, while a bleary-eyed Root was presented with the third-placed trophy by England teammate Harry Brook, the morning after their victorious series in New Zealand came to a close.
Cycling legend Mark Cavendish won the Lifetime Achievement award after clinching a record 35th Tour de France stage win and subsequently retiring from the sport.
Accepting the gong from his family and good friend Bradley Wiggins, Cavendish joked: “I’m not very good at public speaking, that’s why I ride a bike for a living. Or I did.
“I’ve always been a sports fan, and sport has this incredible ability to inspire. Whether you want to compete, perform, keep fit, you can do what you want with sport. It’s good we celebrate it with Spoty, we’re such a strong nation in the world of sport, and to celebrate that every year is very special.
“It’s such a massive honour, it’s so lovely. Thank you.”
Other awards announced last night included best overseas sportsperson, won by Swedish pole vaulter Mundo Duplantis, and the team of the year, which went to rugby league champions Wigan Warriors.
