Emma Raducanu reacts to Keely Hodgkinson becoming 4th consecutive woman to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year, a run spearheaded by herself

Emma Raducanu celebrated Keely Hodgkinson’s historic win as the fourth consecutive female athlete to be named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, marking the first time this has happened in the award’s prestigious history. Raducanu was the first of these four women to receive the honor, ushering in a new era of standout female British athletes.

Raducanu shot to fame in 2021 when she triumphed at the US Open, defeating Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3. Her victory was especially significant, as she became the first qualifier in tennis history to win a Major. This stunning achievement propelled her past competitors like Tom Daley and Adam Peaty to claim the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award that same year.

Since Raducanu’s win, women have continued to dominate the award. Soccer stars Beth Mead and Mary Earps were honored in the following years, and this year, 800m runner Keely Hodgkinson claimed the prize after winning gold at the Paris Olympics. She bested competitors like Luke Littler and Joe Root to secure the title.

Raducanu took to Instagram to celebrate this streak of female winners, resharing the BBC’s announcement of Hodgkinson’s victory on her story, accompanied by four fairy emojis.

The last male recipient of the award was Lewis Hamilton in 2020, the year he won his seventh F1 world championship. Andy Murray holds the record for the most wins, having claimed the title three times.

In reflecting on her own journey, Raducanu recently spoke about the challenges of winning the US Open at such a young age. She acknowledged that her early success, while a dream come true, became a double-edged sword. Speaking at the LTA National Tennis Centre, Raducanu explained:

“Before I won the US Open, my main goal was to win a Grand Slam. And it happened so young. I’m incredibly grateful for it, but after that, I thought, ‘What now? I want to win another Grand Slam,’ which isn’t sustainable.”

Now 22, Raducanu admitted that the pressure to follow up her success with another Major win left her frustrated. However, her focus has shifted towards becoming the best version of herself and seeing how far she can push her game.

Raducanu is set to compete at the 2025 ASB Classic.