Laureus Sports Awards: Max Verstappen, Elaine Thompson-Herah bag top honours

Sevilla, April 25: Formula One world champion Max Verstappen and Jamaican Olympic sprint queen Elaine Thompson-Herah have been named Laureus World Sportsman and Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year. Winners of the 2022 Laureus World Sports Awards were unveiled at a digital ceremony hosted from Seville.

The Awards recognise the greatest sporting achievements of 2021, one of the highlights of which was the European Championship victory by the Italian Men's Football Team who won their second Laureus Team of the Year Award as a result, while global tennis sensation Emma Raducanu won the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year Award following her US Open victory at the age of 18.

The Laureus World Sports Academy also made special presentations to three giants of sport: Tom Brady, seven-time winner of the Super Bowl, was honoured with the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award; Robert Lewandowski received the Laureus Academy Exceptional Achievement Award for achievements including breaking Gerd Muller's long-standing goalscoring record in the Bundesliga; and hugely popular motor cycle racer Valentino Rossi was presented with the Laureus Sporting Icon Award, after retiring in November at the end of a 25-year career.

Verstappen, who secured his first World Championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December, said, "I was very happy, of course, but it was a lot of hard work and years of preparation. I'm incredibly proud. Since I was a little kid I dreamt of being on the top step and winning the championship. I said to my dad [Former Formula One driver Jos Verstappen] 'We did it, this is what we worked for all these years and now we are here, the two of us, all the memories, all the years of travelling all over Europe, going for that one goal and we achieved it'.

"I'm the first Dutch driver to win the World Championship, so the reaction back in Holland was amazing from all the newspapers and fans, it's something we'll never forget. It means a lot to be recognised for this Award, one of the highest ones in the world, so I'm incredibly happy."

Elaine Thompson-Herah, who defended her 100 and 200 metres Olympic titles in Tokyo, and also won a third gold in the 4 x 100m relay, has been described as the female Usain Bolt. She said, "I know Usain has won Laureus Awards before, so to bring this trophy back home to the Caribbean, also in Jamaica, is very special.

"I have watched that [100 metres] race about a thousand times now. I would say I am very, very proud, but I cannot dwell on the past. Even though it's very special, it's memories. I cannot just sit and say 'OK, I'm a double Olympic champion, I'm a five-time Olympic gold medallist. I have to continue working because my motivation is to be even better. I told myself that I want to be the greatest female sprinter, so I am just going to focus on what the future holds for me."

FULL LIST OF WINNERS:

Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award: Max Verstappen

Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award: Elaine Thompson-Herah

Laureus World Team of the Year Award: Italy Men's Football Team

Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award: Emma Raducanu

Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award: Sky Brown

Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award: Marcel Hug

Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award: Bethany Shriever

Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award: Tom Brady

Laureus Academy Exceptional Achievement Award: Robert Lewandowski

Laureus Sporting Icon Award: Valentino Rossi

Laureus Sport for Good Award: Lost Boyz Inc.