Simone Biles was honored with her fourth Laureus World Sports Award, marking her first win in the Comeback category. This recognition came after Biles won four gold medals and one silver at the world gymnastics championships in October, following a nearly two-year break from competition after the Tokyo Games. She had previously been nominated for the Comeback of the Year award in 2022 when she returned from the twisties to earn an Olympic balance beam bronze medal, which was won by British skateboarder Sky Brown that year. Biles has also been named Sportswoman of the Year three times, making her the second most decorated athlete in this category’s history behind Serena Williams.
The Comeback of the Year category was highly competitive, with nominees including soccer player Sebastien Haller of Côte d’Ivoire, heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson of Great Britain, rugby player Siya Kolisi of South Africa, basketball player Jamal Murray of Canada, and tennis player Marketa Vondrousova of Czechia. Novak Djokovic was honored as the Sportsman of the Year for a fifth time, tying the record held by fellow tennis player Roger Federer. Other nominees in this category included pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis of Sweden, soccer players Erling Haaland of Norway and Lionel Messi of Argentina, American sprinter Noah Lyles, and Formula One driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands.
Aitana Bonmati was named Sportswoman of the Year for her outstanding performance on the field and off it. Her victory over other talented athletes such as Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin and tennis player Iga Swiatek highlights how much determination and hard work can lead to success. Spain’s women’s soccer team (Team of the Year) also earned recognition for their impressive achievements throughout 2021. Dutch wheelchair tennis player Diede de Groot (Sportsperson with a Disability) made history by becoming only the second person to receive this award twice after Toni Bernhardt in 1995. British soccer player Jude Bellingham (Breakthrough Athlete) showed his potential on a global stage at Euro 2020 while Australian skateboarder Arisa Trew (Action Sportsperson) demonstrated that anything is possible when you set your mind to it.
