Spain’s world tennis No 1 Rafael Nadal was acclaimed Laureus World Sportsman of the Year after his remarkable 2010 winning three Grand Slam events — at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. It was Nadal’s second Laureus Award — he also won the Laureus Breakthrough Award in 2006.
American Kelly Slater received a warm reception from an enthusiastic audience as he was presented with the Laureus Action Sports Award for the third time, after winning a record tenth World Surfing Championship. Lindsey Vonn made it an American double by winning the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award after a stellar year in which she secured her third straight skiing World Cup and the Olympic Downhill gold medal.
German sport celebrated two Awards. Brilliant young golfer Martin Kaymer was presented with the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award after winning the US PGA Championship and finishing as No 1 golfer in Europe. While visually impaired skier and biathlete Verena Bentele was a popular winner of the Laureus Disability Award after capturing five gold medals in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
The Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award went to Italy’s super competitive seven-times motor cycle world champion Valentino Rossi, who returned to the track just 41 days after breaking his leg.
There was a rapturous welcome for French football legend Zinedine Zidane, who received the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his remarkable career, and the Laureus Spirit of Sport Award was presented to the European Ryder Cup Team to mark their emotional win over the United States in October in a match which demonstrated great sportsmanship, golf played at the highest level and enormous and passionate galleries. The Laureus Sport for Good Award was presented to May El-Khalil, founder of the Beirut Marathon.
The Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognise sporting achievement, are the premier honours on the international sporting calendar. The winners, as voted by the Laureus World Sports Academy, the ultimate sports jury, made up of 46 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time, were announced at a televised Awards Ceremony staged at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi hosted by double Oscar winner Kevin Space and attended by guests from the worlds of sport and entertainment.
At the Awards Ceremony it was announced that Australian five-times motor cycle 500cc world champion Mick Doohan and five-times Olympic rowing gold medalist Steve Redgrave have been elected to the Laureus World Sports Academy.
