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LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Mo Farah has been voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year for the first time after winning a third successive world 10,000-meter title.
In a public vote that produced surprising results on Sunday, World Superbikes champion Jonathan Rea from Northern Ireland finished second and para-athlete Jonnie Peacock was third.
Farah appeared to have better chances to win the prestigious award in previous years, having won the 5,000/10,000 double at the Olympics in 2012 and '16 and at the world championship in 2013 and '15.
This year, he failed to follow up his win in the 10,000 at the worlds in London, finishing second in the 5,000 in his last track race in a global championship.
"Having come so close in 2012, I thought, 'Mate, this thing is so hard to win,'" Farah said of the BBC award.
The 34-year-old Farah was presented with the award on video link by his daughter, Rhianna.
"I am sorry I couldn't be there," Farah said. "My kid has been not well."
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