The Laureus World Sports Awards is an annual award ceremony honouring individuals and teams from the world of sports along with sporting achievements throughout the year. It was established in 1999 by Laureus Sport for Good Foundation founding patrons Daimler and Richemont.
South Africans were disappointed as four of its nonimnees - the Springboks (Team of the Year), Siya Kolisi (Comeback of the Year), sailor Kirsten Neuschäfer (Action Sportsperson of the Year) and the Justice Desk Africa (Sports for Good Category) — all missed out on winning in their respective categories.
This was the 25th staging of an event that has risen to the top of the sporting calendar – attended by some of the best athletes on the planet together with past sporting giants, plus influential figures from the world of fashion, film and entertainment.
Hosted by Hollywood star Andy Garcia, the Awards were broadcast live to millions around the world.
Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion, presented tennis player Novak Djokovic with his Sportsman of the Year Award; Usain Bolt, the greatest sprinter of all time, presented the Sportswoman of the Year Award to football player Aitana Bonmatí; and last year’s winner of the Breakthrough of the Year Award, Carlos Alcaraz, handed the Laureus for that category to football player Jude Bellingham.
Bonmatí took to the stage twice – and made history both times: firstly, to pick up Laureus Sportswoman of the Year and in doing so become the first footballer to win the prestigious Award; and again to represent the Spain team which won the Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The world champions are now the Laureus World Team of the Year and the first all-female team to win the Award.
The full list of Winners is:
World Sportsman of the Year Award: Novak Djokovic
World Sportswoman of the Year Award: Aitana Bonmatí
World Team of the Year Award: Spain Women’s Football Team
World Breakthrough of the Year Award: Jude Bellingham
World Comeback of the Year Award: Simone Biles
Sport for Good Award: Fundación Rafael Nadal
World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award: Diede de Groot
World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award: Arisa Trew
