Laureus World Sports Awards: Thompson-Herah crowned as ‘Sportswoman of the Year’

Elaine Thompson-Herah, Jamaican sprinter, was chosen sportswoman of the year at the Laureus World Sports Awards, which were broadcasted live from Seville on Sunday.

Thompson-Herah, who was named World Female Athlete of the Year at the World Athletics Awards 2021, has been awarded the coveted Laureus trophy for her Olympic treble-winning effort at the Tokyo Olympics.

She has now won five Olympic gold medals, adding crowns in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m in Tokyo to the gold medals she won in the 100m and 200m in Rio in 2016.

In 2021, she also set world records in the 100m and 200m, running 10.54 for the 100m and 21.53 for the 200m, moving up to second on the world all-time lists and coming close to the long-standing world records.

“I know Usain (Bolt) has won Laureus awards before, so it’s extra special to bring this prize back to the Caribbean, especially to Jamaica,” Thompson-Herah added.

“I’d like to say I’m quite proud, but I can’t linger on the past.”

“It’s recollections, despite the fact that it’s really special. I can’t just sit there and say, OK, I’m a five-time Olympic gold medalist and a double Olympic champion.”

“I need to keep working since my goal is to improve even more.”

“I told myself that I want to be the best female sprinter in the world, so I’m just going to focus on the future.”

Thompson-Herah was chosen as the winner of the sportswoman of the year award from a field of nominees that included Allyson Felix of the United States.

Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya was one of six men’s nominees for the award, which was won by Formula One world champion Max Verstappen.

At the time of Thompson-award Herah’s nomination, athletics icon and Laureus Academy Member Michael Johnson stated of her, “She is an athlete that just utterly dominated their sport last year.”

“We haven’t talked about anyone threatening the women’s 100m record in years.” “100m, 200m, repeating as champion, which is extremely difficult, and threatening one of the oldest and most impressive world records in the books, the women’s 100m – we haven’t talked about anyone threatening that record in years”, he added.

Yulimar Rojas, Olympic triple jump winner, and Neeraj Chopra, Olympic javelin champion, were among the nominees for the breakthrough award, which was won by tennis player Emma Raducanu after she won the US Open at the age of 18.

After winning four gold medals at the Tokyo Paralympic Games in the 800m, 1500m, 5000m, and marathon, Swiss wheelchair racer Marcel Hug was named Laureus world sportsperson of the year with a disability for the second time.

He also won the Berlin, New York, and Boston marathons, setting world and Paralympic records in the 1500m and 5000m, respectively.

The Laureus Awards highlight the efforts of Laureus Sport for Good, which leverages sport’s power to combat violence, discrimination, and disadvantage, demonstrating that sport has the power to transform the world.

The Laureus World Sports Awards are decided by a vote of the Laureus World Sports Academy’s 71 legends.