Tuesday 3 April 2007
In Barcelona, Spain last night the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award was presented to Russia’s brilliant pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva.
The World, Olympic and European champion won the prestigious annual award ahead, among others, of Swedish superstar Carolina Klüft who holds the same three crowns, World, Olympic and European in the women’s Heptathlon.
Isinbayeva, the women’s Pole Vault World record holder both indoors and out, who is 24 years of age and has twice been World Athlete of the Year (2004 / 2005), was one of six athletes nominated for 2007 Laureus World Sports Awards.
Athletics’ nominees were
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year -
Asafa Powell (Jamaica) – fastest sprinter in the world, equllaed his own World 100m record twice in 2006.
Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year -
Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia) – winner of World Indoor and European outdoor Championship Pole Vault gold medal, and improved her World indoor record.
Carolina Klüft (Sweden) – winner of European Championship Heptathlon gold medal.
Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year -
Xavier Carter (USA) – aged 20, ran second fastest 200 metres ever, and won four NCAA titles.
Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability –
Kurt Fearnley (Australia) – won New York Marathon wheelchair race, breaking course record.
Edith Hunkeler (Switzerland) – won three golds in wheelchair racing at World Championships.
The Laureus World Sports Awards honours the greatest sportsmen and women across all sports each year. The winners are selected by the ultimate sports jury - the 44 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, a collection of the world’s greatest sportsmen and women. The living legends of sport honouring the great athletes of today.
The Awards Ceremony, held in the presence of His Majesty The King of Spain, was attended by global figures from sport, entertainment, business and fashion. Among the members of the Laureus World Sports Academy present were: Giacomo Agostini, Marcus Allen, Franz Beckenbauer, Boris Becker, Sergey Bubka, Bobby Charlton, Sebastian Coe, Nadia Comaneci, Deng Yaping, Marcel Desailly, David Douillet, Morné du Plessis, Sean Fitzpatrick, Dawn Fraser, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Tony Hawk, Mike Horn, Miguel Indurain, Kip Keino, Franz Klammer, Edwin Moses, Nawal El Moutawakel, Robby Naish, Ilie Nastase, Hugo Porta, Monica Seles, Mark Spitz, Daley Thompson, Alberto Tomba, Steve Waugh and Katarina Witt.
Among the guests were Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman, star of films like Million Dollar Baby, Driving Miss Daisy, The Unforgiven and The Shawshank Redemption, and popular stars Eva Longoria and Kyle MacLachlan from US TV show Desperate Housewives, along with Argentinian super model Valeria Mazza and celebrated Spanish flamenco dancer Joaquin Cortes.
Jordi Hereu i Boher, Mayor of Barcelona, said: “I congratulate all the winners. Barcelona has been delighted to welcome the Laureus World Sports Awards for the second time and we are very pleased with the results. It has been a wonderful opening to our ‘Year of Sport’ which began in March 2007 and which celebrates the 15th anniversary of the highly successful Olympic Games which were held in Barcelona in 1992.”
List of 2007 Laureus World Sports Awards
Sportsman of the Year
Roger Federer, Switzerland, tennis
Sportswoman of the Year
Yelena Isinbayeva, Russia, pole vault
Team of the Year
Italy’s men’s soccer team
Comeback of the Year
Serena Williams, United Sates, tennis
Breakthrough of the Year
Amelie Mauresmo, France, tennis
Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability
Martin Braxenthaler, German, skiing
Action Sportsperson of the Year
Kelly Slater, United States, surfing
IAAF