WAYDE VAN NIEKERK

SASCOC has named a second batch of athletes and officials to attend next month’s Tokyo Olympics.

Wayde van Niekerk nominated for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award

A stellar collection of the world’s greatest Olympic and Paralympic stars from Rio de Janeiro have been nominated for the Laureus World Sports Awards, following a ballot by the world’s media.

WAYDE VAN NIEKERK

SASCOC has named a second batch of athletes and officials to attend next month’s Tokyo Olympics.

The contest for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award promises to be one of the most competitive ever. Nominees include Rio de Janeiro heroes Usain Bolt, already a three-time Laureus winner, 5k and 10k Olympic champion Mo Farah and tennis gold medal winner Andy Murray. Also shortlisted with Ronaldo are basketball duo Stephen Curry and LeBron James.

Olympians fill all six Nomination places for the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award, including Americans Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky and Allyson Felix, German world tennis No.1 Angelique Kerber, Jamaican sprint star Elaine Thompsonand British cyclist Laura Kenny.

Michael Phelps, the most successful Olympian ever, heads the Nominees in the Laureus World Comeback of the Year category, after winning another five golds and a silver medal in Rio. Others selected by the media are Spain’s high jumper Ruth Beitia, Argentina’s Davis Cup winner Juan Martin del Potro, British show jumper Nick Skelton, Mauritius triathlete Fabienne St Louisand Norwegian skier Aksel Lund Svindal.

In another strong category, Mercedes AMG Petronas are nominated for the third straight year for the Laureus World Team of the Year Award, along with three football teams; European Champions Portugal, Champions League winners Real Madrid and Neymar-inspired Olympic gold medal winners Brazil. American teams Chicago Cubs, winner of their first baseball World Series for 108 years, and NBA Champions Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, are also shortlisted.

After finishing second in 2014 and 2015, Nico Rosberg finally won the Formula One World Championship last year and has earned nomination for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award. Joining him are Olympic world-record breakers Almaz Ayana and Wayde van Niekerk, and three teams who performed heroically in 2016: English Premier League ChampionsLeicester City, European Championship quarter-finalists Iceland and Olympic Rugby Sevens gold medal winners Fiji.

When asked about being nominated, Van Niekerk remarked: “I woke up every day, motivated to inspire my family and friends, but ended up with a double blessing having also inspired a nation, which has been an honour and a privilege. My greatest goal has always been to continuously better myself as an athlete and write my own story. All that hard work has paid off, winning the Olympic title in a world record time and earning a Laureus Award Nomination.”

“I have always been very proud of breaking the 400 metres world record, and when I did so in 1999 I knew that you never know how long a record will stand. As an athlete you always know that it is in the nature of sport that your achievements are going to be surpassed someday. But for me it was the accomplishment of breaking it that I am still proud of. I was in the stadium commentating when Wayde van Niekerk broke the 400 metre world record. It was pretty impressive, not just running 43.03, but also beating former Olympic champions Kirani James and LaShawn Merritt. He fully deserves the nomination for the Laureus Breakthrough Award and I congratulate him.  He’s only 24, so there could be more impressive accomplishments ahead for him,” Olympic champion and Academy Member Michael Johnson said after hearing about Van Niekerk’s nomination.

The Rio Paralympic Games provide all six Nominees for the highly respected Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award; swimmers Ihar Boki from Belarus and New Zealand’s Sophie Pascoe; visually impaired Cuban sprinter Omara Durand, Iran weightlifter Siamand Rahman, Swiss wheelchair racer Marcel Hug and Italian fencer Beatrice Vio.

The men’s and women’s surfing world champions John John Florence and Tyler Wright are nominated for the Laureus Action Sportsperson of the Year Award, along with snowboarder Chloe Kim, skateboarder Pedro Barras, mountain biker Rachel Atherton and Estonia’s freestyle skier Kelly Sildaru who at 13 became the youngest ever winner of a gold medal at the Winter X-Games.

The eventual winners, as voted for by members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, will be revealed in Monaco on February 14.

For the first time ever, sports fans will have the chance to make their voices heard in a brand new Best Sporting Moment of the Year Award, which will celebrate the power of sport. More information coming soon.

While celebrating the greatest sporting successes of the year, the Laureus Awards Ceremony also showcases the work of Laureus Sport for Good, which uses the power of sport to end violence, discrimination and disadvantage, proving that sport can change the world. Today Laureus supports more than 100 programmes, in around 40 countries. Our work to transform society is championed by the Laureus World Sports Academy of over 60 legends of sport. They are supported by more than 180 Laureus Ambassadors.