Voting open for BBC World Sport Star of the Year, including Grand National hero Rachael Blackmore

Leading Irish rider Blackmore became the first female winner of the Aintree race in April, having also been the first woman to win Cheltenham’s Champion Hurdle the month before.

It was a Cheltenham Festival to remember for Blackmore, who ended the week as the top jockey with six wins, including Honeysuckle's memorable triumph in the day-on feature.

Her other Festival victories came aboard Bob Olinger, Sir Gerhard, Allaho, Telmesomethinggirl and Quilixios, while Minella Times - trained by Henry De Bromhead - was the horse who saw her enter the Grand National record books on April 10.

Blackmore ended the Irish 2020/21 National Hunt jockeys' championship in second place, just behind Paul Townend, with 92 domestic winners, on top of the eight winners she rode in Britain to make it a perfect 100 for the year (April-April).

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Formula One title contender Max Verstappen is also on the shortlist. The Dutchman is level with Britain’s Lewis Hamilton in the drivers’ standings heading into next weekend’s final race of the F1 season in Abu Dhabi, after a dramatic race in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

The pair collided on the 37th lap, with Hamilton going on to win the race. The Briton, who is aiming to eclipse Michael Schumacher by claiming a record eighth title this weekend, is expected to be on the shortlist for the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award.

Boxer Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez is on the list after his victory over Caleb Plant last month made him the first undisputed world super-middleweight champion.

He is joined by NFL quarterback Tom Brady, who won a record-extending seventh Super Bowl as he helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs. He also became the oldest man to feature in the showpiece match, at the age of 43 years and 188 days.

Tennis star Novak Djokovic has also been shortlisted after winning three of the four men’s grand slam singles titles.

The Serbian triumphed at the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon to make it 20 career grand slam titles in all.

Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah completes the list after she claimed three gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics. She won the individual 100 metres and 200m and was part of the Jamaican team which triumphed in the 4x100m relay.

Voting opens on Monday and closes at 1pm on Tuesday, December 14.

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