ALCESTER’S own Olympic gold medalist Nick Skelton has galloped his way to third place in the 2016 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards.
Nick beat star athlete Mo Farah to third place and was pipped only by triathlete Alistair Brownlee, who came in second, and tennis champion Andy Murray who won the most votes and scooped the top title at the live show at the Genting Arena, Birmingham on Sunday, (December 18)
The 58-year-old leapt into the history books in August after he triumphed at the Rio Olympics in a dramatic six-man jump-off on his horse Big Star becoming Great Britain’s oldest Olympic champion since 1912.
Since the awards ceremony, it has also emerged that Murray’s wife Kim Sears actually voted for the show-jumper who has now competed at more Olympic Games than any other Team GB athlete.
Skelton, who was forced to retire in 2001 after he broke his neck in two places in September 2000, made an incredible recovery and returned to the sport.
Alcester has a gold postbox on the high-street in the athlete’s honour.
