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Murray voted Sports Personality 2013

Andy Murray has been voted the 2013 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

The 26-year-old Scot became the first Briton in 77 years to win the Wimbledon men's singles title with victory over Novak Djokovic in the summer.

Wales and British & Irish Lions rugby union player Leigh Halfpenny was runner-up, with jockey AP McCoy third.

"I'd like to thank all the public who voted, for giving me so much support over the last couple of years," said Murray. "It's made a huge difference."

Past 10 winners 2013: Andy Murray (tennis)

2012: Bradley Wiggins (cycling)

2011: Mark Cavendish (cycling)

2010: AP McCoy (horse racing)

2009: Ryan Giggs (football)

2008: Sir Chris Hoy (cycling)

2007: Joe Calzaghe (boxing)

2006: Zara Phillips (equestrian)

2005: Andrew Flintoff (cricket)

2004: Dame Kelly Holmes (athletics)

The ceremony was held at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, although Murray was presented with the award in Miami where he is training ahead of the new season.

Martina Navratilova, the 18-time Grand Slam champion, handed the trophy over.

Murray, who was third behind cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins and heptathlete Jessica Ennis in 2012, said: "Thanks to Martina for giving this to me. She's possibly the greatest tennis player of all time.

"I've got a few people to thank - my family first. A lot are there in the crowd. They've supported me since I was a kid, making a lot of sacrifices for me. I couldn't have done it without you.

"My team are also all standing behind the camera here. They've been with me for a long time and I also couldn't have done it without them. Thank you to all of them."

Of the public, he added: "I know sometimes I'm not the easiest person to support but I've had a lot of pressure on me for a long time. I'm glad I managed to do it.

"No matter how excited I try to sound, my voice always sounds boring - that's just my voice. I'm sorry. I'm very excited right now. Thank you very much everyone."

Murray is the fourth tennis player to win the award in its 60-year history, after Ann Jones in 1969, Virginia Wade in 1977 and Greg Rusedski in 1997.

Meanwhile, the British and Irish Lions were crowned Team of the Year after ending a 16-year wait for a series win with a 2-1 victory over Australia, with Warren Gatland making it a double celebration as he was named Coach of the Year.

The other winners were:

Overseas Sports Personality of the Year: Sebastian Vettel, who won a fourth consecutive Formula One title in October.

Young Sports Personality of the Year: Amber Hill, who at 15 became the youngest winner of a senior World Cup in skeet shooting and finished the season ranked number one senior in Great Britain and number five in the world.

Sports Personality of the Year Diamond Award: Sir Alex Ferguson, who retired in May after more than 26 years as Manchester United manager during which he won 38 trophies.

Helen Rollason Award: Anne Williams, the Hillsborough justice campaigner, who died in April.

Sports Unsung Hero: Joe and Maggie Forber for their work promoting basketball in Manchester.

Murray's success marked a triumphant end to an up-and-down year which began with a fifth Grand Slam final defeat, when he lost to Djokovic at the Australian Open in January.

Leigh Halfpenny, Sir Alex Ferguson and AP McCoy were all honoured

His lingering back problem forced him to miss the French Open in May, but he recovered to win the Wimbledon title, a year after breaking down in tears following defeat by Roger Federer in the final.

In September, his defence of the US Open title ended in the quarter-finals, but he went on to help Great Britain secure their place in the Davis Cup World Group before having back surgery, which caused him to miss the ATP World Tour Finals in London.

Murray intends to make his comeback in an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi on 26 December before playing in the Qatar Open in Doha ahead of the Australian Open, which starts in Melbourne on 13 January.

Runner-up Halfpenny, 24, followed up being named player of the tournament as Wales won the Six Nations with the man-of-the-series award as the Lions won in Australia.

"I can't believe it to be honest," he said. "This is a really prestigious award. Just to be nominated is brilliant and I feel really privileged.

Thanks for sticking by me: Murray talks to BBC Breakfast's Sally Nugent

"Andy Murray was a very deserving winner. It was an amazing achievement by him."

McCoy, 39 and the winner in 2010, became the first jump jockey to ride 4,000 winners in November having won an unprecedented 18th consecutive champion jump jockey title.

"It's a phenomenal achievement," McCoy said of Murray's win at the All England Club in July.

"To be the first tennis player in that length of time to win Wimbledon, with the pressure that was on him, and playing in an era where there are three of the greatest tennis players to have played the game in Djokovic, [Rafael] Nadal and Federer.

"No disrespect to any of the other contenders, but I think it would have been totally unjust for anyone else to win this year."

Murray won Sports Personality with 56% of the vote. Full breakdown as follows: