Uganda Tourism Board’s ambassador for Tourism Joshua Cheptegei has been nominated for Laureus World Sports Awards’ Sportsman of the year. He is nominated alongside sports’ house hold names that include; Lebron James, Lewis Hamilton, Rafael Nadal, Robert Lewandowski, and Armand Duplantis.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is included in the six-person Sportsman of the Year shortlist after he won his fourth NBA title and fourth Finals MVP award. Robert Lewandowski is a notable candidate after he scored 55 goals to help Bayern Munich win the Champions League and the German Bundesliga.
The Laureus World Sports Awards is an annual award ceremony honoring individuals and teams from the world of sports along with sporting achievements throughout the year. The name “Laureus” is derived from the Greek word for laurel, considered a traditional symbol of victory in athletics. It was established in 1999 by Laureus Sport for Good Foundation founding patrons Daimler and Richemont. It is supported by its global partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and MUFG. The awards support the work of Laureus Sport for Good, which supports over 160 community projects in more than 40 countries. These programmes aim to use the power of sport to end violence, discrimination and disadvantage, and prove that sport has the power to change the world.
The winners of each category will be voted for by the 68 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy and will be announced in May at a virtual awards event.
The full list of all the categories as below;
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award
Joshua Cheptegei (Uganda) – Athletics
LeBron James (USA) – Basketball
Rafael Nadal (Spain) – Tennis
Robert Lewandowski (Poland) – Football
Armand Duplantis (Sweden) – Athletics
Lewis Hamilton (UK) – Motor Racing
Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award
Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) – Athletics
Naomi Osaka (Japan) – Tennis
Wendie Renard (France) – Football
Breanna Stewart (USA) – Basketball
Anna van der Breggen (Netherlands) – Cycling
Federica Brignone (Italy) – Skiing
Laureus World Team of the Year Award
Argentina Men’s Rugby Team
Liverpool (UK) – Football
Los Angeles Lakers (USA) – Basketball
Bayern Munich (Germany) – Football
Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team (Germany) – Motor Racing
Kansas City Chiefs (USA) – American Football
Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award
Ansu Fati (Spain) – Football
Iga Swiatek (Poland) – Tennis
Dominic Thiem (Austria) – Tennis
Patrick Mahomes (USA) – American Football
Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia) – Cycling
Joan Mir (Spain) – Motor Cycling
Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award
Alex Morgan (USA) – Football
Daniel Bard (USA) – Baseball
Max Parrot (Canada) – Snowboarding
Kento Momota (Japan) – Badminton
Alex Smith (USA) – American Football
Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – Skiing
Laureus Sport for Good Award
Boxgirls Kenya – Boxing – supports and empowers at-risk girls in underserved slum communities in Nairobi.
Fundación Colombianitos (Colombia) – Football & Rugby – bridges gender gaps and promotes education.
KICKFORMORE (Germany) – Football – empowers youth to make positive contributions in their communities.
