Our top 10 British sports stars of the 21st Century

Lewis Hamiliton has been branded as a British sporting great after his sixth World Title win. Here are our picks of the greatest British sports stars of the 21st Century:

Andy Murray

In a golden era for tennis Murray rose to the top. He won Wimbledon twice and reached world number one, uniting the nation in doing so. 

Did you know? Murray was born with a bipartite patella, split kneecap, which wasnā€™t diagnosed until he was 16.

Photo credit: Carine06 via Flickr

Sarah Storey

Britainā€™s most successful female Paralympian has won 14 gold medals in swimming and cycling. Storey was born without a functioning left hand.

Did you know? Starting at Barcelona in 1992, Storey has competed at seven Paralympic Games.

Photo credit: Steve. via Flickr

Lewis Hamilton

The six-times Formula One world champion is now the second most successful driver in the history of the sport. He raced past Michael Schumacherā€™s record of 68 pole positions in 2017 and now has 87.

Did you know? Nick Hamilton, brother to Lewis, races in the British touring car championship despite suffering from Cerebral Palsy.

Photo credit: Jen_ross83 via Wikipedia

Jonny Wilkinson

The England fly-half produced one of British sports defining moments when he kicked a drop-goal in extra time to win the World Cup in 2003. He is second on the list of all-time points scorers in rugby union.

Did you know? The first game he started England lost 76-0 to Australia.  

Photo credit: Fanny Schertzer via Wikipedia

Alastair Cook

Cook is Englandā€™s highest Test run-scorer and most capped player ever. He scored a hundred in both his first and last innings in Test cricket.

Did you know? He turns his back on a celebrity lifestyle, preferring to work on his farm in Bedfordshire.

Photo credit: NAPARAZZI via Flickr

Bradley Wiggins

First British winner of the Tour de France in 2012. Won five Olympic gold medals including the Time Trial in 2012, just 10 days after being crowned in Paris.

Did you know? Wiggins holds the world record for the most distance covered in an hour with 55 kilometres.

Photo credit: Laurie Beylier via Flickr

Jessica Ennis-Hill

The golden girl of the London Olympics had a career high on ā€˜Super Saturdayā€™ when she won gold in the Heptathlon. In Rio 2016, having returned from time away to have her first child she won silver, falling just short of a historic double.

Did you know? She once held the British record for both 100 metres hurdles and high jump.

Photo credit: Robbie Dale via Wikipedia

Mo Farah

One of the other stars of ā€˜Super Saturdayā€™ at London 2012. He won gold in both the 5,000m and the 10,000m before repeating the feat at Rio.

Did you know? Farah moved to Britain at the age of eight from Somalia.

Photo credit: Tab59 via Wikipedia

Wayne Rooney

Rooney is a five-time Premier League winner and was PFA player of the year in 2010. He is also Englandā€™s and Manchester Unitedā€™s highest goal scorer.

Did you know? Rooney will be returning to English football in the new year to play and coach at Derby County.

Photo credit: Ian C via Flickr

Paula Radcliffe

Set the world alight when she smashed the womenā€™s marathon world record in London in 2005. Her record stood until 2017.

Did you know ā€“ She broke the world record three times between 2002 and 2005.

Photo credit: Christian Petersen-Clausen

By Alex Brinton

Featured image credit: Jen_ross83 via Flickr

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