- Biles, 28, collected the prize at a sparkling ceremony in Madrid Monday
- Another Olympic hero, Mondo Duplantis, won the male prize
Simone Biles stole the show in Madrid on Monday evening when she was crowned Laureus World Sportswoman of the year for a record.
The American superstar gymnast won the prestigious prize at the Laureus World Sports Awards after its success at the Paris Olympic Games from last year, where it won three gold medals and money.
Biles now pulled a level with the transport of four victories among the four victories of the American Serena Williams in the Women’s Woman category at Sporting Oscars, after also winning the return prize for the year last year.
“I am so happy to be here in Madrid and to receive my fourth prize Laureus World Sportswoman of the year,” said the 28-year-old, who was also in the Bernabeu for the 1-0 Real Madrid victory against Bilbao athletic on Sunday.
“I won this award for the first time in 2017 and Laureus has been part of my story since then. I am proud to have added to my collection.
The winners are decided by the 69 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, a Rollcall of sports icons, notably Boris Becker, Cafu, Michael Johnson, Sachin Tendulkar and Jack Nicklaus.
Simone Biles added to her individual price collection after being crowned Laureus World Sportswoman of the year
Biles won the prize for a record fourth time after its success at the Paris Olympic Games
They voted for another Olympic hero, Mondo Duplantis, as a sportsman of the year after defending his pole jump title in Paris by breaking his own world record.
The Swedish, 25, is only the second athletics athlete to win the award after Usain Bolt – and he received his statuette by last year’s recipient Novak Djokovic.
“The list of former winners of this award is like a story of sports size in the past 25 years,” said Duplantis. “I am in the footsteps of giants like Novak, Usain, Rafael Nadal and Lionel Messi.
“The Laureus Awards represent something more than sporting achievements. The fact that they are voted by the 69 world class athletes raise them to another level.
There was a popular winner of the team of the year, because Real Madrid claimed the trophy during the 25th anniversary ceremony at the Palais de Cibeles, a few kilometers from the Bernabeu road.
The feeling of Spain and Barcelona Teen Sensation Lamine Yamal received the Gong for breakthrough of the year, won last year by England and the real Jude Bellingham star.
There was a British winner in the Sports Action category of the year while Tom Pidcock won the award after his incredible victory back in the Olympic mountain bicycle race last summer.
“There is a lot of prices, but it is quite special,” said the GB team’s gold medalist. “After last year, it is a feeling of additional recognition for what I achieved.”
Real Madrid won the team prize at the ceremony, held a few kilometers from the Bernabeu
The Spanish hero Rafael Nadal was also honored in the capital of his country when he received the Gong sports icon after his retirement from tennis last year.
“A sports icon? I think it is other people to decide, “said the Grand Colem champion at 22 times. “But I hope that my career has inspired sports fans beyond tennis.
“I gave him everything I had. My reader has always been to compete and do my best every time I walked in court.
The return of the year went to the Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade, who won Olympic gold on the ground that has almost left sport after three LCA injuries.
Chinese swimmer Jiang Yuyan, who won seven gold medals at the Paris Paralympic Games, was appointed sportsman of the year with a handicap, while Kelly Slater, world surf champion 11 times, won the Achievement Life Prize.
