| Bob Champion CBE | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Champion in 2008 | |
| Occupation | Racehorse jockey,trainer |
| Born | (1948-06-04)4 June 1948 (age 76) Sussex, England |
| Major racing wins | |
| Grand National(1981) | |
| Significant horses | |
| Aldaniti | |
Robert ChampionCBE (born 4 June 1948) is an English former jumpjockey, who won the1981 Grand National onAldaniti. His triumph, while recovering from cancer, was made into the 1984 filmChampions, withJohn Hurt portraying Champion. The film is based on Champion's bookChampion's Story, which he wrote with close friend, racing journalist and broadcaster Jonathan Powell.
Champion was born inSussex, but very soon after his birth the family moved toGuisborough in theNorth Riding of Yorkshire.[1] During his childhood, he rode the donkey Lively Laddie, who was born in 1943 and lived to at least 60 years old.[2][3]
In July 1979, at the height of his career as a jockey, he was diagnosed withtesticular cancer. He was treated with anorchidectomy and with the chemotherapeutic drugsbleomycin,vinblastine andcisplatin, and also had an exploratory operation to identify cancer in hislymph nodes. His victory on Aldaniti was viewed by many as a great triumph, following his adversity. Their victory in the Grand National earned them that year'sBBC Sports Personality of the Year Team Award, and was chosen byChannel 4 viewers in 2002 as one of the100 Greatest Sporting Moments.[1]
Other major races that Champion won during his career include theHennessy Cognac Gold Cup and the Whitbread Trial Chase. He was appointedMember of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the1982 Birthday Honours.[4] In 1983 he formed the Bob Champion Cancer Trust, which has raised millions of pounds for cancer research.[1]
He was the subject ofThis Is Your Life in 1981, when he was surprised, on his wedding day, byEamonn Andrews.[5]
Champion became a trainer based inNewmarket. The first horse he bought as such was "Just Martin" for ownerFrank Pullen,[6] who also built his yard.[7] He retired from training horses in 1999.[1]
On 22 December 2011, Champion received theBBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award award as part of the 2011BBC Sports Personality of the Year competition.[1]
He was appointedCommander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the2021 New Year Honours for services to prostate and testicular cancer research.[8]
The Bob Champion Research and Education Building which is part of theUniversity of East Anglia campus is named after him.[1]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
