Laureus Sporting Icon: Valentino Rossi (Moto). The Italian great retired at the end of the 2021 World MotoGP season following a career that has comprised nine World Championships, 115 wins, and 235 podiums. Rossi is the only rider to win world titles in the 125cc, 250cc, 500cc and MotoGP categories. EPA
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: Max Verstappen (Formula One). Dutch driver earned the award after winning his first F1 Drivers' World Championship in 2021. Verstappen had 10 Grands Prix victories and a record 18 podium finishes. Nominees: Caleb Dressel, Eliud Kipchoge, Novak Djokovic, Robert Lewandowski, Tom Brady. AFP
Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year: Elaine Thompson-Herah (Athletics). The Jamaican sprinter won three gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, successfully defending her 100m and 200m titles, and winning the 4x100m relay. In August last year, she became the second-fastest woman in history with a personal best 100m time of 10.54 seconds. Nominees: Alexia Putellas, Allyson Felix, Ashleigh Barty, Emma McKeon, Katie Ledecky. EPA
Laureus World Team of the Year: Italy national team (football). Italy became European champions for the first time since 1968 after beating England in a dramatic final penalty shootout. It marked an impressive turnaround for the team after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, although they have since failed to qualify for Qatar 2022. Nominees: Argentina, Barcelona Women, China Olympic Diving Team, Mercedes F1 Team, Milwaukee Bucks. AFP
Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year: Emma Raducanu (tennis). The British teenager, then 18, made history at the US Open last year by becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title. Nominees: Ariarne Titmus, Daniil Medvedev, Neeraj Chopra, Pedri, Yulimar Rojas. Reuters
Laureus World Comeback of the Year: Sky Brown (skateboarding). The British teenager claimed a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics having only just turned 13. What made it even more incredible was that Brown suffered a skull fracture and broken left wrist and hand when she landed head first in training in June 2020. She was unresponsive when she arrived at hospital but made a full recovery to be one of the stars of the Olympic Games. Nominees: Annemiek van Vleuten, Marc Marquez, Mark Cavendish, Simone Biles, Tom Daley. Getty
Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year: Bethany Shriever (BMX). The Briton cemented her status as one of the stars of BMX by winning both Olympic and World Championship gold medals in the same year. Nominees: Alberto Gines, Carissa Moore, Italo Ferreira, Momiji Nishiya, Yuto Horigome. Getty
Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Marcel Hug (Wheelchair Athletics). The Swiss athlete was one of the standout stars at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, winning four gold medals in the 800m, 1500m, 5,000m, and marathon while setting world records in the 1500m and a Paralympic record in the 5,000m. Nominees: Diede De Groot, Jetze Plat, Sarah Storey, Shingo Kunieda, Susana Rodriguez. AFP
Laureus World Award for Sport for Good: Lost Boys Inc. (Baseball). Founded by LaVonte Stewart in 2009, the organisation provides at-risk youths with training and the competition of organised sport, but also economic and academic opportunities in Chicago, USA. Nominees: Ich Will Da Rauf!, Centro Sportivo Di Comunita - Juca Pe Cagna, Kick4Life, Monkey Magic. Photo: Laureus Sport Awards
Laureus World Sport for Good Award: Real Madrid Foundation (football). For more than 25 years, the foundation has helped to improve the lives of more than one-and-a-half million people, mainly children. AP
Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award: Tom Brady (American Football). The greatest quarterback in NFL history and arguably the greatest NFL player of all time, Brady announced his retirement after a career comprising a record seven Super Bowl titles and many more records. However, he has since reversed his decision and is preparing for his 23rd season. AFP
Laureus Academy Exceptional Achievement Award: Robert Lewandowski (football). One of the greatest footballers of his generation, Lewandowski broke Gerd Muller's 49-year Bundesliga record for most goals in a single season, scoring his 41st in the last minute of the final game. The Polish striker played a key role in Bayern Munich’s ninth successive Bundesliga title and won the European Golden Shoe. EPA
Laureus Athlete Advocate of the Year Award: Gerald Asamoah and the Black Eagles (football). The award-winning film about black players in German football has shone a bright light on the issues of racism, offering black German players a platform to share their stories and personal experiences. Asamoah, who played 43 times for Germany, is a leading campaigner in the fight against racism. Getty
Laureus Sporting Icon: Valentino Rossi (Moto). The Italian great retired at the end of the 2021 World MotoGP season following a career that has comprised nine World Championships, 115 wins, and 235 podiums. Rossi is the only rider to win world titles in the 125cc, 250cc, 500cc and MotoGP categories. EPA
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: Max Verstappen (Formula One). Dutch driver earned the award after winning his first F1 Drivers' World Championship in 2021. Verstappen had 10 Grands Prix victories and a record 18 podium finishes. Nominees: Caleb Dressel, Eliud Kipchoge, Novak Djokovic, Robert Lewandowski, Tom Brady. AFP
Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year: Elaine Thompson-Herah (Athletics). The Jamaican sprinter won three gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, successfully defending her 100m and 200m titles, and winning the 4x100m relay. In August last year, she became the second-fastest woman in history with a personal best 100m time of 10.54 seconds. Nominees: Alexia Putellas, Allyson Felix, Ashleigh Barty, Emma McKeon, Katie Ledecky. EPA
Laureus World Team of the Year: Italy national team (football). Italy became European champions for the first time since 1968 after beating England in a dramatic final penalty shootout. It marked an impressive turnaround for the team after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, although they have since failed to qualify for Qatar 2022. Nominees: Argentina, Barcelona Women, China Olympic Diving Team, Mercedes F1 Team, Milwaukee Bucks. AFP
Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year: Emma Raducanu (tennis). The British teenager, then 18, made history at the US Open last year by becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title. Nominees: Ariarne Titmus, Daniil Medvedev, Neeraj Chopra, Pedri, Yulimar Rojas. Reuters
Laureus World Comeback of the Year: Sky Brown (skateboarding). The British teenager claimed a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics having only just turned 13. What made it even more incredible was that Brown suffered a skull fracture and broken left wrist and hand when she landed head first in training in June 2020. She was unresponsive when she arrived at hospital but made a full recovery to be one of the stars of the Olympic Games. Nominees: Annemiek van Vleuten, Marc Marquez, Mark Cavendish, Simone Biles, Tom Daley. Getty
Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year: Bethany Shriever (BMX). The Briton cemented her status as one of the stars of BMX by winning both Olympic and World Championship gold medals in the same year. Nominees: Alberto Gines, Carissa Moore, Italo Ferreira, Momiji Nishiya, Yuto Horigome. Getty
Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Marcel Hug (Wheelchair Athletics). The Swiss athlete was one of the standout stars at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, winning four gold medals in the 800m, 1500m, 5,000m, and marathon while setting world records in the 1500m and a Paralympic record in the 5,000m. Nominees: Diede De Groot, Jetze Plat, Sarah Storey, Shingo Kunieda, Susana Rodriguez. AFP
Laureus World Award for Sport for Good: Lost Boys Inc. (Baseball). Founded by LaVonte Stewart in 2009, the organisation provides at-risk youths with training and the competition of organised sport, but also economic and academic opportunities in Chicago, USA. Nominees: Ich Will Da Rauf!, Centro Sportivo Di Comunita - Juca Pe Cagna, Kick4Life, Monkey Magic. Photo: Laureus Sport Awards
Laureus World Sport for Good Award: Real Madrid Foundation (football). For more than 25 years, the foundation has helped to improve the lives of more than one-and-a-half million people, mainly children. AP
Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award: Tom Brady (American Football). The greatest quarterback in NFL history and arguably the greatest NFL player of all time, Brady announced his retirement after a career comprising a record seven Super Bowl titles and many more records. However, he has since reversed his decision and is preparing for his 23rd season. AFP
Laureus Academy Exceptional Achievement Award: Robert Lewandowski (football). One of the greatest footballers of his generation, Lewandowski broke Gerd Muller's 49-year Bundesliga record for most goals in a single season, scoring his 41st in the last minute of the final game. The Polish striker played a key role in Bayern Munich’s ninth successive Bundesliga title and won the European Golden Shoe. EPA
Laureus Athlete Advocate of the Year Award: Gerald Asamoah and the Black Eagles (football). The award-winning film about black players in German football has shone a bright light on the issues of racism, offering black German players a platform to share their stories and personal experiences. Asamoah, who played 43 times for Germany, is a leading campaigner in the fight against racism. Getty
Laureus Sporting Icon: Valentino Rossi (Moto). The Italian great retired at the end of the 2021 World MotoGP season following a career that has comprised nine World Championships, 115 wins, and 235 podiums. Rossi is the only rider to win world titles in the 125cc, 250cc, 500cc and MotoGP categories. EPA
