Duplantis, Biles win high honours at Laureus Wolrd Sports activities Award

Star pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Yr, whereas American gymnast Simone Biles bagged the highest ladies’s honour on the Laureus World Sports activities Awards ceremony right here on Monday (April 21, 2025).

The 25-year-old Duplantis, considered the best pole vaulter of all time, was fourth-time fortunate after being nominated in every of the previous three years. He grew to become solely the second track-and-field athlete after four-time winner Usain Bolt to assert the distinguished award.

Duplantis gained his second World Indoor Championship gold medal in March and broke his personal world document for a exceptional ninth time in 2024 en path to Olympic gold in Paris.

The Swede-American gained extra votes than Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz (Tennis), France’s Léon Marchand (Swimming), Slovenia’s Tadej Pogačar (Biking) and Netherlands’ Max Verstappen (Motor Racing).

“I’m extremely honoured to have gained my first Laureus World Sportsman of the Yr Award within the sporting capital of Madrid and to have the good Usain Bolt pay tribute to me…” he mentioned.

Biles, who returned to motion after a break, clinched three gold and one silver medal in a surprising comeback on the Paris Olympics to assert her fourth Laureus award — equalling the document held by Serena Williams. Each the athletes even have one Comeback of the Yr honour.

“I am so completely happy to be right here in Madrid and to obtain my fourth Laureus World Sportswoman of the Yr Award,” mentioned Biles, who topped the polls forward of Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí (Soccer), Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan (Athletics), Kenya’s Religion Kipyegon (Athletics), USA’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (Athletics) and Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka (Tennis).

Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade bought the Comeback of the Yr award for her inspirational return from a sequence of career-threatening accidents. Andrade, who contemplated quitting after three ACL accidents, made a triumphant return by profitable gold within the ground train on the Paris Video games.

“This stunning Laureus Statuette represents an enormous quantity of exhausting work, of battle and ache, and in addition nice happiness,” she mentioned.

She surpassed Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant, USA’s Caeleb Dressel (Swimming), Switzerland’s Lara Intestine-Behrami (Alpine Snowboarding), Spain’s Marc Márquez (Motor Biking) and Australian Ariarne Titmus (Swimming).

Actual Madrid have been adjudged Laureus World Workforce of the Yr following a dominant marketing campaign that noticed them win La Liga for a document thirty sixth time, clinch their fifteenth UEFA Champions League title, and defeat Barcelona within the Supercopa de España.

In addition they lifted the UEFA Tremendous Cup and Intercontinental Cup early within the 2024-25 season, making Carlo Ancelotti probably the most adorned supervisor within the membership’s historical past.

Tennis nice Rafael Nadal was conferred the Laureus Sporting Icon Award in a 12 months he introduced his retirement from skilled tennis.

‘Again in 2006 I gained the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Yr Award in Barcelona… Tennis and sports activities normally has given me a lot…,” Nadal mentioned.

Tom Pidcock gained the Laureus World Motion Sportsperson of the Yr Award for his dramatic Olympic mountain bike cross nation gold. After struggling a puncture, the British bike owner fought again to overhaul residence favorite Victor Koretsky within the last phases.

Pidcock grew to become the fourth British bike owner to win the award after Jamie Bestwick (2014), Rachel Atherton (2017) and Beth Shriver (2022).

Paralympic swimmer Jiang Yuyan gained the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Yr with a Incapacity Award after claiming seven gold medals from as many occasions.

Teen soccer sensation Lamine Yamal acquired the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Yr Award. The Spanish winger grew to become the youngest participant to attain and have in a European Championship last and was named the match’s Finest Younger Participant.

Kelly Slater, extensively thought-about the best surfer of all time, acquired the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award. Slater is a four-time winner of the Laureus World Motion Sportsperson of the Yr Award and an 11-time World Surf League champion.