Laureus Awards, Biles, Marchand e Duplantis in nomination

In the last quarter of a century the statuette “The Laureus” has become the most coveted prize in its kind between sportsmen and elite sportsmen. The Laureus World Sports Awards are now recognized as “The Athletes’ Awards”. All candidates were selected following the vote made by over 1300 journalists around the world. The winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards will be announced on April 21, in Madrid, at the end of the voting of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the jury par excellence consisting of 69 sports legends.

The 2024 sportsman was illuminated by the show of the Paris Olympics and therefore is not surprising that two games of the games are in the run for the “Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award” (“Sports of the year”). Athlete symbol of the Olympics was Léon Marchandlecapable of winning four gold medals in swimming in lane. World Duplantis, on the other hand, won the second consecutive Olympic gold in the jump with the auction. Carlos Alcaraz, who won two Grand Slam titles, the French Open at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, also contended for the coveted statuette, as well as conquering the Olympic silver medal; Max Verstappen, who has secured his fourth consecutive Formula 1 rider world title; Tadej Pogačar, third man to win Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and World Championship in the same year. In this category there are only five candidates and you are not, as per practice, following the decision taken by the Laureus Academy to make not eligible Jannik Sinner As a consequence of the suspension for three months from the competitive activity imposed by Wada.

Aiatana Bonmatí is again named in the “Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award” category (“Sportiva of the year”), in which she triumphed last year. His candidacy is a direct consequence of the conquest of the second consecutive Golden Ball and a triumphant year in which Aiatana won the Champions League, the Liga F and the Copa de la Reina with the Barcelona shirt. To contend for the statuette, Simone Biles, who has already conquered three prizes in this category. In 2024 Simone Biles instead won the statuette in the “Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award (” Return “category) and this year, after winning three gold and a silver medals at the Paris Games, it is re -established in the main category in which it has already excelled in 2017, 2019 and 2020. Also in Lizza Sifan Hassan, who won the bronze in Paris both in the 5,000 10,000 meters, in addition to gold in the marathon; Faith Kipyegon, the only three -time Olympic champion in the 1500 meters, capable of conquering silver in Paris in the 5,000 meters; Sydney McLaughlin-Lavrone, gold medal both in the 400 meters in obstacles, in which it established the new world record, and in the 4×400 meters relay; Aryna Sabalenka, who won the Austrian Open and the US Open, reaching the first place of the WTA ranking both in singular and double.

To keep the pride of Italy high there is the project “Children of Nantes” In nomination in the “Laureus Sport for Good Award” category (sport for the common good). In this special category, individuals or organizations are rewarded which, according to members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, have made a significant contribution in the social sector, using sport as the therapeutic tool to improve the lives of boys and girls. “Liberi Nantes”, in particular, is a project carried out in Rome. Initially it was aimed at creating a football team made up of children of refugees and applicants for political asylum. Today, however, the project is multidisciplinary and offers a wide range of sports activities, including, touch rugby, hiking and urban trekking, as well as guaranteeing the teaching of the Italian language through sport.