- All-time sporting icons headline the list of nominees
With Lionel Messi, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Katie Ledecky, Rafael Nadal, Tiger Woods, Stephanie Gilmore, Mikaela Shiffrin, Mondo Duplantis, Oksana Masters and a whole lot of others looking to impress the Laureus World Sports Academy, the search for this year’s Laureus World Sports Awards has begun.
Winners for categories including Sportswoman of the Year; Sportsman of the Year; Team of the Year, Breakthrough of the Year, Comeback of the Year, Action Sportsperson of the Year and Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability will be decided by 71 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy – Olympic champions, world record holders, athletes who changed the game.
In climbing to the very pinnacle of their sport, sports-persons from far and wide, this year was the year they rose head and shoulders above all other competitors in their fields.
The race for the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award includes Alexia Putellas who led FC Barcelona to a perfect season in the Spanish league, subsequently winning a second Ballon d’Or. Putellas makes the list which includes Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who became five-time 100m track champion, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone for her world record in the 400m hurdles, Katie Ledecky for her four gold medal haul at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest. others making the list are Mikaela Shiffrin who regained her overall title at the Alpine Ski World Cup and Iga Świątek who emerged the year 2022 as the undisputed No.1 in women’s tennis, winning in Paris and New York.
The nominees for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year heralds the who’s who in sport. Lionel Messi won the elusive FIFA MEN’S WORLD CUP, Kylian Mbappé scored an unforgettable hattrick in the World Cup final. Rafael Nadal wrapped-up 2022 at the top of the all-time list of men’s Grand Slam champions with 22 titles, Max Verstappen defended his Formula One world title. Mondo Duplantis, who broke the pole vault world record on three occasions and won world titles all round makes the cut. Steph Curry led the Golden State Warriors to a fourth NBA championship in eight years.
England Women’s Football Team, who become champions of Europe on home, make the list dominated by male teams which include FIFA Men’s World Cup champions Argentina Men’s Football Team, Real Madrid for their 14th Champions League title, Golden State Warriors for their fourth NBA championship in eight years, Oracle Red Bull Racing for their Max Verstappen-led victory in the Constructors’ Championship and France Men’s Rugby Team reclaimed the Six Nations Championships.
