January 07, (THEWILL) – Christine Mboma, a teenage Namibian sprinter, has been named the BBC African Sports Personality of the Year for 2021, making her the first woman to win the accolade in its lengthy history.
When she won silver in a star-studded 200m final in Tokyo last year, the 18-year-old became the first Namibian woman to win an Olympic medal.
For the annual BBC prize, Mboma was up against very stiff competition in Kenyan runners Eliud Kipchoge and Faith Kipyegon, South African para-athlete Ntando Mahlangu, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, and South African swimmer Tatjana Schoenmaker.
After sprinter Frankie Fredericks won the BBC African Sports Star of the Year award in 1993, she becomes the second Namibian athlete to receive such honours.
Mboma was a Diamond League champion and Under-20 gold medalist over 200m in addition to her Olympic silver, and she broke the Under-20 record several times last year.
An elated Mboma said, after learning of her win: “I feel great and really proud to be a Namibian. I dedicate this BBC award to all Namibians. This is [a reward] for all the hard work I have done.
“It is always great to put my country on the spot. I always make my country proud and I thank all the Namibians who voted for me. They will go crazy when they hear this.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
