London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 19, 2025

Raducanu crowns epic sporting year

Raducanu crowns epic sporting year

This sporting year seemed destined to be special - and Emma Raducanu's fairy tale in New York writes an unforgettable new chapter in the story of 2021.

The British 18-year-old, who came through qualifying for the right to take part in the tournament, did not drop a set in winning the US Open women's singles title.

Bookmakers responded by making Raducanu favourite to become the first woman since equestrianism's Zara Phillips 15 years ago to be the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

It was talked about so much that "BBC Sports Personality" became a trending term on social media.

The award is decided by a public vote in December after an expert panel has announced a shortlist, but here are some of the leading names in the frame.

The contenders...


Emma Raducanu - Ranked 361 in the world in June, she passed her A-levels in August and became a major tennis champion the following month.

Tom Daley - Ended his long wait for an Olympic diving gold medal with an emotional victory alongside Matty Lee in the synchronised 10m platform event in Tokyo.

Jason Kenny - Equalled Sir Bradley Wiggins' tally of eight medals when he won silver in the Olympic team sprint. Kenny, 33, has one more gold and silver than his fellow cyclist.

Adam Peaty - Swimmer retained his Olympic men's 100m breaststroke title as he picked up two golds and a silver at Tokyo 2020.

Lewis Hamilton - Closing in on a 100th Formula 1 grand prix victory and this season is looking for an all-time record eighth world title.

Sarah Storey - Defended her women's C4-5 cycling road race title at the Tokyo Paralympics to become Great Britain's most successful Paralympian of all time.

Mark Cavendish - Made history in the Tour de France as he equalled Belgian great Eddy Merckx's record of 34 stage wins.

Laura Kenny - Claimed the madison title with cycling partner Katie Archibald to become the first British woman to win gold at three Olympics.

Joe Root - England cricket captain returned to the top of the ICC's Test batting rankings after scoring consecutive Test centuries in three matches against India at an average of 126.75.

Raheem Sterling - Scored three times as England reached the Euro 2020 final and was named in Uefa's team of the tournament alongside team-mates Harry Maguire and Kyle Walker.

Max Whitlock - The Team GB gymnast successfully defended his Olympic pommel horse title, performing the first routine in the final and setting a mark his rivals could not match at Tokyo 2020.

Phenomenal year for women's sport


Raducanu's victory over Leylah Fernandez was the first time since a young Serena Williams beat Martina Hingis in 1999 that two teenagers had contested the women's US Open final.

The talented young pair are another success story in a notable 2021 for women in sport.

History was made in April when jockey Rachael Blackmore became the first woman to ride the winner of the Grand National at Aintree.

There were notable achievements at this summer's Olympic Games too with golds for middleweight boxer Lauren Price, Kenny and BMX pair Charlotte Worthington and Bethany Shriever among them. Shriever went on to land the world championship title too.

And 13-year-old Sky Brown became the youngest Olympic medallist for Great Britain when she won skateboard bronze in August.

At the Paralympics, the 43-year-old Storey won her 17th gold medal to become Great Britain's most successful Paralympian.

Earlier this month too, Europe's women completed a thrilling defence of golf's Solheim Cup in a dramatic and memorable encounter with the United States.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
×