Gymnast Simone Biles and pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis win Laureus awards
US gymnast Simone Biles poses with the Sportswoman of the year award. PHOTO: REUTERS
MADRID - The world's most decorated gymnast Simone Biles was named the Sportswoman of the Year, while Swedish pole-vaulter Mondo Duplantis captured the men's honour at the Laureus awards ceremony in Madrid on April 21.
Biles, who won gold medals in the team, all-around and vault competitions, as well as a silver on the floor exercise at the 2024 Paris Games to complete a triumphant comeback three years after withdrawing from events at the Tokyo Olympics, won the Laureus award for the fourth time.
That equalled the record held by tennis great and United States compatriot Serena Williams.
"I'm so happy to be here in Madrid and to receive my fourth Laureus Award," Biles said.
"I won this Award for the first time in 2017 and Laureus has been a part of my story since then. There might be a little girl watching someone like me on television and deciding she can do it, too."
Last year's winner Novak Djokovic handed Duplantis his first Laureus award after he was nominated in each of the last three years, becoming only the second track and field athlete to win it after Usain Bolt.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest pole vaulters of all time, Duplantis won a second straight Olympic gold medal in Paris, breaking his own world record for the ninth time, before shattering it once again in the Silesia Diamond League meeting the following month.
Swedish athlete Armand Duplantis poses with the Sportsman of the year award.
PHOTO: REUTERS
"I am incredibly honoured to have won my first Laureus, this is the ultimate award that we athletes want to win. I know because this is the fourth time I have been nominated – and that proves it's harder to win a Laureus than an Olympic gold medal," Duplantis joked.
Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade won the Comeback of the Year award after completing her inspirational return from career-threatening injuries at the Paris Games to win the gold medal in the floor competition.
Teenage football sensation Lamine Yamal, who helped Spain win the European Championship in 2024, won the Breakthrough of the Year, the sixth footballer to win that award.
The Laureus World Sports Awards nominees are selected by the global media, while the winners are determined by the 69 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy. The awards have been presented annually since 2000.
List of winners
World Sportswoman of the Year: Simone Biles
World Sportsman of the Year: Mondo Duplantis
World Team of the Year: Real Madrid
World Breakthrough of the Year: Lamine Yamal
World Comeback of the Year: Rebeca Andrade
World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Jiang Yuyan
World Action Sportsperson of the Year: Tom Pidcock
Laureus Sport for Good: Kick4Life
Laureus Sporting Icon: Rafael Nadal
Laureus Lifetime Achievement: Kelly Slater REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
DeChambeau gets early morning start for U.S. Open title defence
Jun 9, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; Bryson DeChambeau putts on the practice green during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament at Oakmont Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images REUTERS OAKMONT, Pennsylvania - Bryson DeChambeau will launch his U.S. Open title defence on Thursday alongside Xander Schauffele and Spain's Jose Luis Ballester Barrio while Scottie Scheffler will head out in the afternoon wave at Oakmont Country Club. DeChambeau's group will start from the first tee at 7:29 a.m. ET (1129 GMT) and be followed around the challenging par-70 layout by a threesome comprised of past U.S. Open champions Matt Fitzpatrick, Wyndham Clark and Gary Woodland. Since joining LIV Golf in June 2022, DeChambeau has recorded seven top-10 finishes in 12 majors, including last year's U.S. Open triumph at Pinehurst. He now looks to become the event's first repeat winner since Brooks Koepka in 2018. Red-hot world number one Scheffler, who counts the PGA Championship among his three wins in his last four starts, will also start from the first tee at 1:25 p.m. ET in the company of Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland. Rory McIlroy, who completed the career Grand Slam at the Masters but finished well out of contention at the PGA Championship, will head out from the 10th tee at 7:40 a.m. ET in the company of Shane Lowry and Justin Rose. Phil Mickelson, U.S. Open runner-up a record six times and needing a win this week to complete the career Grand Slam, will start from the 10th tee alongside Cameron Smith and Brian Harman at 8:02 a.m. ET. Dustin Johnson, who won the U.S. Open when it was last held at Oakmont in 2016, was placed in a high-profile group with Jordan Spieth and Jon Rahm and will head out from the 10th tee at 1:14 p.m. ET. Amateur Matt Vogt, a 34-year-old dentist and former Oakmont caddie who qualified to play in the year's third major last week, will hit the tournament's opening shot from the first tee at 6:45 a.m. ET. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Australia's Hazlewood returns for WTC final against S Africa
LONDON - Marnus Labuschagne will open the batting for Australia and Josh Hazlewood has been selected in the bowling line-up for the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's, captain Pat Cummins said on the eve of the game on Tuesday. Labuschagne has been moved up the order to accommodate the return of Cameron Green, who underwent back surgery in October and was ruled out of the home season, while Hazlewood is fit again after a calf injury to replace of Scott Boland. "Cam Green has been coming back in great form in the last few weeks and we thought he deserved a spot in the batting lineup. We thought three probably suits him best," Cummins told a press conference. "For Marnus moving one spot up, it's not too different to batting at three. He's done well here in England in the past." Leaving out Boland, who had been one of the heroes of Australia's 3-1 test series win over India this year, had been a difficult decision. "There are some guys where you genuinely say, you've done nothing wrong, don't change a thing and that's Scotty. He is just really unfortunate to miss out. "The message to Scotty is there's a lot of test cricket coming up in the next couple of years and just because your mid-30s doesn't mean that's the end of your career. "By having a squad of fast bowlers, hopefully we can extend all our care for an extra couple of years." An element of selection criteria was to reward those who had contributed to defending champions Australia winning 13 of 19 tests in the two-year WTC cycle and reaching yet another final. "I think our selectors have probably shown you that they're happy and they'd rather give someone an extra little run than pull the pin too early. I think it's partly rewarding those guys that got us here.' Cummings said defending the title was high on the Australian priority list, even after all their success in the limited-overs formats. "It's a trophy we've spoken a lot about over the last couple of years. "Test cricket is my favourite format. You've got to basically win in all different conditions to make it into this final. If we can retain that mace, that's a pretty awesome thing for this team." Australia team: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Red Bull's Lindblad granted F1 licence ahead of 18th birthday
LONDON - Formula One's governing body has granted Red Bull junior driver Arvid Lindblad a super licence ahead of his 18th birthday in August after the team requested a dispensation. Formula One rules say drivers must be over 18, a measure introduced after Red Bull's now four-times world champion Max Verstappen was signed by Toro Rosso at 16 and made his race debut at 17 in 2015. Lindblad, born in Britain to a Swedish father and mother of Indian heritage, is seen as a hot prospect and the exemption will allow him to take part in F1 practice ahead of the August break. He has been tipped for an eventual seat at Racing Bulls, Red Bull's Italy-based sister team who currently have Frenchman Isack Hadjar and New Zealand's Liam Lawson. Hadjar has impressed in his rookie season, with speculation he could be next to move up to the senior team alongside Verstappen if Yuki Tsunoda is not retained. Verstappen is also only a penalty point away from a one-race ban, meaning Red Bull need to be prepared to shuffle around drivers. Lindblad, third overall in the Formula Two championship, already has enough points for a super licence with age his only barrier. The governing FIA's World Motor Sport Council, granting the request at a meeting in Macau, said Lindblad had "recently and consistently demonstrated outstanding ability and maturity in single-seater formula car competition". Mercedes were in a similar position with Kimi Antonelli last year but waited until he was 18, also in August, before giving him a practice debut. The Italian this season took the seat vacated by seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.