Mboma Wins BBC African Sports Personality of the Year

Namibian sprinter Christine Mboma has been voted the BBC African Sports Personality of the Year for 2021, so becoming the first female winner in the award’s long history.
The 18-year-old became the first Namibian woman to ever win an Olympic medal when taking silver in a star-studded 200m final in Tokyo last year.

“I feel great and really proud to be a Namibian,” she told BBC Sport Africa.
“I dedicate this BBC award to all Namibians. This is a reward for all the hard work I have done.”
Mboma saw off Kenyan runners Eliud Kipchoge and Faith Kipyegon, South African para-athlete Ntando Mahlangu, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and South African swimmer Tatjana Schoenmaker to win the award.

She becomes the second Namibian athlete to be recognised in such fashion, after sprinter Frankie Fredericks won the BBC African Sports Star of the Year award in 1993.
“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,” she said upon learning of her prize.