The journey of A.P.McCoy- BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year 2010
A.P. McCoy, aged 36 and England’s top jump jockey for the last 15 years has recently won BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year 2010 award. The award was based on a public poll, which McCoy won, beating Phil Taylor, the darts player and Jessica Ennis who is
a heptathlete. The BBC award is considered to be one of the most esteemed accolades in the world of sports in England. The award has also been received by footballer David Beckham, cricketer Andrew Flintoff, golfer Nick Faldo and marathon runner Paula Radcliffe
in past years.
By wining it, McCoy has become the first jockey to receive the award in its history of 57 editions.
After accepting the award, McCoy expressed his sentiments in the following words:
“This is an unbelievable feeling standing here in front of all these amazing people. To win this award is very surreal. Without the help of so many people I wouldn't be here. I work in a wonderful sport in horse racing and I'd like to thank the people
I've worked with over the years. To my wife Chanelle, my mother and father, my brothers and sisters, thank you to them. My daughter Eve at home, she’s three, she was shouting at me today when she realised I was on television today and I know she's watching
and I just want to say how amazing she is. Thank you."
McCoy, who is a Northern Irish horse racing jockey was born on 4rth May, 1974. He started his career early in life, winning his first race when he was 17 years old. McCoy rode Legal Steps at Thurles at that time. He made his debut in England in 1994 and
immediately became a success. The first time McCoy won in England was on the 7th September, 1994 at Exeter.
McCoy continued to impress spectators as he grew in his professional life. From 1995 onwards, McCoy earned the title of British jump racing Champion Jockey every year. He had secured over 3000 wins by year 2009.
Among the various races that he has won, Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and King George VI Chase are a few titles. More recently, McCoy added the 2010 Grand National race title to his credit. To date, McCoy has taken part
in more than 13,000 races. This translates into about 31,000 miles of travelling. These include Conditional Jockey of the Year and Jump Jockey of the Year Jockey of the Year. In 2003, McCoy was appointed MBE for the Queen’s Birthday Honours and similarly in
2010, he was appointed as an OBE in the 2010 Birthday Honours. This was done in appreciation for McCoy’s services in the horse racing industry.
There is little left now that this accomplished jockey has not been able to achieve in his admirable career over all these years. Despite all this success, the champion jockey has no intention of giving up the sport he has spent his entire life with just
yet, and whenever he retires, he wishes to be top of the class.
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