Northern Irish pair Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke got their hands on yet more silverware last night at the Laureus Awards in London.
The Ulstermen gained further recognition for their maiden major titles last season with McIlroy winning ‘World Breakthrough of the Year’ and Clarke taking home ‘World Comeback of the Year’.
McIlroy fended off nominees tennis stars Petra Kvitova and Li Na, as well as athletes Yohan Blake, Oscar Pistorius and Mo Farah. Clarke edged out fellow golfer Sergio Garcia, footballer Eric Abidal, hurdler Liu Xiang and rugby sides Crusaders and Queensland Reds.
World Ladies No.1 Yani Tseng missed out on the ‘World Sportswoman of the Year’ Award, which was won by Kenya’s 5,000 and 10,000 metre World Champion Vivian Cheruiyot.
Elsewhere, tennis World No.1 Novak Djokovic was crowned ‘World Sportsman of the Year’ after acing sprinter Usain Bolt, footballer Lionel Messi, basketball’s Dirk Nowitzki, cyclist Cadel Evans and Formula 1 sensation Sebastian Vettel.
Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton was given the lifetime achievement award, 54 years to the day after surviving the Munich air disaster which killed eight of his team-mates.
The winners were chosen by the 47 world renowned sports stars who make up the Laureus sports academy.
Laureus Awards
World Sportsman of the Year
Winner: Novak Djokovic
Nominees: Usain Bolt, Lionel Messi, Dirk Nowitzki, Sebastian Vettel, Cadel Evans
World Sportswoman of the Year
Winner: Vivian Cheruiyot
Nominees: Maria Höfl-Riesch, Carmelita Jeter, Petra Kvitova, Homare Sawa, Yani Tseng
World Sports Team of the Year
Winners: FC Barcelona
Nominees: All Blacks, Dallas Mavericks, England Cricket Team, Japan Women's Football Team, Red Bull F1 team
World Breakthrough of the Year
Winner: Rory McIlroy
Nominees: Yohan Blake,Petra Kvitova, Li Na, Oscar Pistorius, Mo Farah
World Comeback of the Year
Winner: Darren Clarke
Nominees: Eric Abidal, Crusaders, Sergio Garcia, Liu Xiang, Queensland Reds
World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability
Winner: Oscar Pistorius
Nominees: Daniel Dias, Terezinha Guilhermina, Esther Vergeer, David Weir, Irek Zaripov
World Action Sportsperson of the Year
Winner: Kelly Slater
Nominees: Jamie Bestwick, Philip Köster, Carissa Moore, Travis Rice, Shaun White
Deserving winners?
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