Berlin (dpa) – German triathlete Jan Frodeno won action sportsman of the year Monday in Berlin at the Laureus World Sports Awards, which celebrate outstanding achievements of athletes from around the globe.
In October Frodeno became the first triathlete to win both the Olympic triathlon gold and the Ironman World Championship title in Hawaii.
Tennis greats Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Serena Williams of the United States were named Laureus sportsman and sportswoman of the year.
The ceremony was hosted at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds
(Messegelaende) by Hollywood comic actor Bill Murray, who appeared in traditional German lederhosen.
Winners were chosen in five other categories:
– New Zealand’s rugby All Blacks were named team of the year, and New Zealand ruby player Dan Carter won comeback of the year.
– US golfer Jordan Spieth won breakthrough of the year.
– Brazilian swimmer Daniel Dias was named disabled sportsman of the year.
– Austrian Formula 1 driver Niki Lauda was honoured for lifetime achievement.
– Dutch footballer Johan Cruyff, who died last month, was honoured posthumously.
Each winner received a Laureus statuette, crafted by Cartier, which according to the event website represents «the striving human form against an engraved representation of the continents.»
Nominations for five of the awards were made by a panel of sports editors, writers and broadcasters, while the nominees for the action and disability categories were produced by specialist panels.
A secret ballot by members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, consisting of more than 50 sports personalities, then decided the final winners.
The Academy has the power to present discretionary awards such as lifetime achievement or exceptional achievement.
The Laureus awards, sponsored by major global companies, have been awarded annually since 2000.
