The wheelchair racer claimed his fifth Paralympic gold medal at Rio 2016 in September, when he triumphed in the T54 100 metres.

It meant the 33-year-old won the event for the fourth Games in a row, following successes at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

He also won the 200m T54 title in Athens as well as a bronze in Beijing over the same distance. 

His time of 13.63sec remains as the world record for the 100m, while Tähti is also a double world and double European champion.

He received more than half of the votes tallied from sports journalists who were balloted to decide the award. 

The athlete beat off competition from tennis player Henri Kontinen, who won the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon alongside Britain's Heather Watson, and Rio 2016 boxing bronze medallist Mira Potkonen.

According to YLE, Tähti also received the most votes to become the 2012 Sports Personality of the Year following the London Games.

However, he lost out to windsurfer Tuuli Petäjä-Sirén as 50 of the 650 journalists did not choose him on their list at all.