BBC announce World Sport Star of the Year nominees

The BBC have officially announced their Sports Personality of the Year’s World Sport Star of the Year nominees. 

This year’s nominees include Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez (Mexico, boxing), Rachael Blackmore (Ireland, horse racing), Tom Brady (USA, American football), Novak Djokovic (Serbia, tennis), Elaine Thompson-Herah (Jamaica, athletics) and Max Verstappen (Netherlands, Formula 1). 

Sports Personality of the Year World Sport Star awards evening will take place on Sunday December 19 2021 at Media City UK in Salford and voting for the event will open on Monday, December 6. 

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez has been named as one of this year’s nominees after he beat Caleb Plant to become the first undisputed world super-middleweight champion.

Canelo’s victory over Plant saw him take the American’s IBF belt to add to the WBA Super, WBC and WBO belts he already held. 

As a result, Canelo became the first Mexican and only the sixth fighter since the WBO began sanctioning world-title fights in 1988 to hold all four belts from the separate governing bodies at the same time.  

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez has been named as one of this year’s nominees after he beat Caleb Plant to become the first undisputed world super-middleweight champion

Rachael Blackmore has also been nominated for the award after she became the first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. The Irish jockey then went on to win the Grand National at Aintree in April.

Blackmore made history in doing so as no other woman had ever finished in the first four of the famous race which takes place over more than four miles and 30 fences.   

Tom Brady is also in the running for the award after helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the Super Bowl 55 by beating the Kansas City Chiefs. 

As a result, Brady – who threw three touchdown passes during the game – has extended his record Super Bowl wins to seven. 

Rachael Blackmore has been nominated after she became the first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. She then went on to win the Grand National at Aintree

Tom Brady is also in the running for the award after helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the Super Bowl 55 by beating the Kansas City Chiefs

He has also become the oldest player – at 43 years and 188 days -to play in the biggest game in US sport. 

World number-one Novak Djokovic will also be looking to get his hands on this year’s award after winning three of the major Grand Slam events in 2021.

Djokovic won the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon to take his career total to 20.  

Meanwhile, sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah has been named as one of this year’s nominees after she secured three gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics this summer in the 100m, 200m and 4 x 100m finals. 

World number-one Novak Djokovic will also be looking to get his hands on this year’s award after winning three of the major Grand Slam events in 2021

Meanwhile, sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah has been named as one of this year’s nominees after she secured three gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics

Thompson-Herah – who was recently-crowned World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year –  achieved the second-equal fastest time in history during the 100m final in Tokyo. 

She set both a Jamaican national record as well as the Olympic record of 10.61 seconds.   

The final nominee for this year’s award his F1 driver Max Verstappen. The Dutchman has been embroiled in one of the most intense championship battles for years. 

Verstappen – who is seeking his first World Championship – is going head-to-head with Lewis Hamilton to secure victory and deny the Brit of his eighth title.  

Verstappen’s victories included one at his home grand prix in September, where he was cheered on by 65,000 enthusiastic fans. 

The final nominee for this year’s award his F1 driver Max Verstappen. The Dutchman has been embroiled in one of the most intense championship battles for years