McCoy has no plans to ease up

Tony McCoy (centre), Phil Taylor (right) and Jessica Ennis
12 April 2012

Tony McCoy has vowed to remain at the top of his sport after becoming the first jockey to win the BBC's sports personality of the year award in its 57-year history.

The 36-year-old from Northern Ireland - also known as 'AP' - beat darts champion Phil 'The Power' Taylor and heptathlete Jessica Ennis to take the award. McCoy's Grand National triumph on Don't Push It earlier this year was his 15th attempt at the race, and he has ridden 3,383 winners in his career.

"I want to keep going now," he said. "I want to keep at the top of my sport. I don't know how long I will go on - time is the enemy of any sportsperson."

McCoy added: "I have been lucky enough to be champion jockey for 15 years, but the Grand National is the biggest horse race in the world and everyone knows I had won all the other races and to finally achieve that, it was just an unbelievable day."

Taylor, the 15-times world darts champion, said he was stunned and delighted to have come second.

"It means the world to me," he said. "For darts as well it's fantastic and I can't be any happier than I am now after all the years of dedication I've put in."

Ennis, who won gold at the European Championships in Barcelona, said: "It's such an honour and I hope one day I can get the big one - I feel I have my biggest challenges ahead of me and 2012 would be an amazing year to win it."

The team of the year award was won by the European Ryder Cup team for their achievement in regaining the trophy from the USA in thrilling fashion at Celtic Manor. Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie was also named coach of the year, beating Blackpool manager Ian Holloway and England cricket coach Andy Flower to the award.

Teenage diver Tom Daley was named the BBC's young sports personality of the year for the third time - he became double Commonwealth Games champion in Delhi in October, winning the 10 metre individual and 10m synchro.

Tennis star Rafael Nadal won overseas sports personality, while Sir Frank Williams, the founder and manager of the Williams formula one team, was presented with the Helen Rollason Award for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity.

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