Marathon winner scoops BBC sports award

Record-breaking marathon runner Paula Radcliffe was named BBC's Sports Personality of the Year last night.

The accolade completes an outstanding year for the 28-year-old who won this year's London Marathon - on her debut in the event - before shaving 89 seconds off the women's world marathon record in the Chicago race last month.

Radcliffe won ahead of last year's winner David Beckham, who finished runner-up, and jump jockey Tony McCoy who was third. Radcliffe received 619,577 votes in the phone poll, with Beckham winning 113,539 and McCoy scoring 87,972.

She said: "Thank you to everyone who has voted and to the public for all the support given to me this year."

The long-distance athlete went on to praise fans who backed her during her London Marathon win, describing their adulation as "amazing", before paying tribute to Manchester's hosting of the Commonwealth Games this year.

She said: "The Commonwealth Games really showed Britain can host championships... and it would be great to host the Olympics in 2012."

Former Manchester United player George Best received a lifetime achievement award.

This year saw a marked improvement in Radcliffe's form, destroying her reputation as a plucky loser after she narrowly missed out on medals in the Sydney Olympics and last year's World Championships in Edmonton.

Along with her marathon successes, she took the 5,000 metres gold at the Commonwealth Games, in Manchester, and 10,000 metres gold in the Munich European Championships.

Everton striker Wayne Rooney was named Young Sports Personality of the Year in an award voted for by a panel of journalists and sports stars. Europe's Ryder-Cup winning golf side was named Team of the Year after defeating the USA in a nailbiting clash.

Arsene Wenger was named Coach of the Year for leading Arsenal to a league and FA Cup double.