John Blackie named Coach of the Year at Sports Personality of the Year

John Blackie has been named Coach of the Year at the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year show after guiding Dina Asher-Smith to World Championship gold.

Asher-Smith won the 200m title in Doha in addition to two silvers, a year after winning triple European gold.

Blackie has worked with Asher-Smith, 24, at Blackheath and Bromley Harriers Athletics Club since she was eight.

Asher-Smith, who presented him with the award, calls Blackie her "second dad".

"It's been fantastic," Blackie said. "I could say on behalf of all the volunteer coaches out there, this is the sort of thing you can do. Don't give up, set your sights high.

"Dina is very special, she is a pleasure to coach."

Asher-Smith said: "John deserves this so much. I found out on Wednesday and I cried on the train.

"He is so inspirational and so selfless."

Asher-Smith, who won 4x100m relay bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympics, is ranked first in the world over 200m, and second over 100m.

She is among Great Britain's best medal hopes at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

It is only the second time the Coach of the Year winner has been from athletics. In 2017, Benke Blomkvist, Stephen Maguire and Christian Malcolm shared the award for their work with Great Britain's relay teams.