Laureus World Sports Awards 2022: Elaine Thompson-Herah, Max Verstappen, Tom Brady win big

ByBen Snowball

Updated 24/04/2022 at 21:26 GMT

The Laureus World Sports Awards celebrate the best achievements in sport of the last year. Elaine Thompson-Herah and Max Verstappen scooped the sportswoman and sportsman awards, while NFL great Tom Brady bagged the Lifetime Achievement Award ahead of his 23rd season as a pro. Team GB stars Sky Brown and Beth Shriever, who won medals in skateboarding and BMX respectively, were also honoured.

Elaine Thompson-Herah, Max Verstappen and Tom Brady scooped the biggest prizes at the Laureus World Sports Awards.

Sprint sensation Thompson-Herah was named World Sportswoman of the Year in Sunday’s unveiling, with F1 world champion Max Verstappen winning the men’s equivalent. Brady won the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Thompson-Herah bagged a historic ‘double double’ in Tokyo 2020, becoming the first woman in history to successfully defend the 100m and 200m at an Olympics. She saw off competition from Ashleigh Barty, Allyson Felix, Katie Ledecky, Emma McKeon and Alexia Putellas to win the prestigious award.

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“It’s been an amazing season,” said Thompson-Herah.

“To be the first woman to win double Olympics [titles, at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020] – and to be the fastest woman alive – is an honour.”

‘An honour to be fastest woman alive’ – Thompson-Herah after bagging prestigious Laureus prize

Verstappen secured the F1 drivers’ title with a last-gasp – and highly controversial – victory in Abu Dhabi last year. He beat Tom Brady, Novak Djokovic, Caeleb Dressel, Eliud Kipchoge and Robert Lewandowski to the gong.

“It was a very crazy and hectic year and of course I was very happy to come out on top. It was really a dream come true, it’s what I worked for from a very young age,” said Verstappen.

“But also it’s not only me. There’s a whole team behind me. So many people working on two cars to perform, to give me the opportunity to win the championship and eventually also winning this award."

Brady, widely considered the greatest quarterback of all time, has won a record seven Super Bowls.

The Tampa Bay Bucs star brought the curtain down on a glittering career in February, only to perform a shock U-turn a month later, saying he had “unfinished business” in the NFL.

“I was very fortunate to fall in love with a game that’s brought me so many incredible moments and experiences in my life,” said Brady.

“I began playing as a 14-year-old boy in California with the dreams of achieving a professional career and never understanding where that career could lead me.

“I feel very blessed along the way to meet so many incredible team-mates, coaches, members of multiple organisations that were so committed not only to winning games but committing themselves to doing amazing things in the community as well.”

'I was very fortunate to fall in love with a game' - Brady wins Lifetime Achievement Award

There was also success for two Team GB stars from the Tokyo Olympics.

Sky Brown won World Comeback of the Year after recovering from a horror crash in 2020 – which saw her fracture her skull – to win skateboard bronze. Brown became Britain’s youngest summer Games medallist, aged just 13.

“This is insane. I had some ups and downs… Falling, having a pretty bad accident and getting back up, winning a medal, is just insane,” said Brown.

“I’m so thankful for everything. I feel like even the fall just pushed me.”

‘The fall just pushed me’ – Sky Brown, 13, on winning prestigious comeback award

Beth Shriever was named World Action Sportsperson of the Year after becoming Britain’s first gold medallist in BMX, with her award presented by cycling royalty in Sir Chris Hoy.

“I just thought being nominated was enough. But to win it, wow. What an absolute honour,” said Shriever.

'I just thought being nominated was enough...' - Shriever wins World Action Sportsperson award

Bayern Munich and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski won the Exceptional Achievement Award.

Lewandowski set a Bundesliga record of 41 goals in a single campaign, surpassing Gerd Muller’s 49-year-old record that many thought would never be beaten.

“It really means a lot to be recognised and appreciated by such wonderful people, athletes and legends from all over the world of sport.

“There are no shortcuts to success in professional sport. If you want to be the best you have to do your best.”

He also used his acceptance speech to shift the focus onto the war in Ukraine, saying there is “no sport without peace”.

‘There are no shortcuts to success’ – Lewandowski

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