LONDON, England, CMC – Colossal Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has won the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year Award for the second year in a row, becoming only the third person in history to win the award in successive years.
Bolt, 23, sensationally broke his world records in the 100 (9.58 seconds) and 200 metres (19.19) at the IAAF World Championship in Berlin in August to repeat his remarkable sprinting achievements from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Speaking via an earlier recorded message, Bolt thanked his fans and said he felt honoured to collect back-to-back awards from the world famous broadcast outfit.
“It is an honour to win this prestigious award again. Hopefully I can break the record and win it three or four years in a row,” he said.
Tennis superstar Roger Federer, who was the other contender for this year’s award, and boxing legend Muhammad Ali are the only other sports stars to have won the award on successive occasions.
“I am very honoured and I thank the BBC and all my fans for voting for me,” said Bolt, who also copped the IAAF Male Athlete of the Year Award last month for the second year in a row.
Football star Ryan Giggs, Manchester United’s veteran midfielder, was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Giggs edged reigning Formula One champion Jenson Button, heptathlon world champion Jessica Ennis and Ashes-winning captain Andrew Strauss for the Personality Award.
Strauss’s England cricket team claimed the Team of the Year award having reclaimed the Ashes from Australia and recorded a series victory over the West Indies during the summer.
The Coach of the Year honour was given to England’s football team manager Fabio Capello for guiding the team to next summer’s FIFA World Cup Finals in South Africa.
