2025 Laureus World Sports Awards: Celebrating Athletic Excellence in Madrid
A Night of Sporting Glory in Madrid
The 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards took place in Madrid, Spain, on April 22, showcasing remarkable talents like former tennis star Rafael Nadal and Olympic champions Armand Duplantis, Simone Biles, and Rebeca Andrade, as reported by a leading sports website.
This year's ceremony marked the 25th anniversary of the prestigious awards, celebrating the achievements of top athletes from around the globe.
Among the highlights, Kelly Slater, an 11-time world surfing champion, was honored with the Laureus Lifetime Achievement award, while Rafael Nadal received the Laureus Sporting Icon Award, earning a standing ovation from an audience filled with sports legends.
The red carpet was a spectacle, with sports icons like freestyle skiing champion Eileen Gu and World Cup footballer Paulo Dybala mingling with legends such as Nadia Comaneci and Chris Hoy. Lindsey Vonn returned as the host for the ceremony for the second time in four years.
The event commenced with Novak Djokovic, last year's World Sportsman of the Year, presenting the award to Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis, who made history by becoming the first man in over fifty years to win back-to-back Olympic pole vault titles, also breaking the world record for the ninth time.
Duplantis expressed his pride in achieving such a significant milestone, stating, 'It's a once-in-a-lifetime type of award to win, honestly, so I’m not going to take it for granted.'
Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade were recognized as World Sportswoman of the Year and World Comeback of the Year, respectively. The two gymnasts shared the podium at Paris 2024, praising each other's accomplishments.
Andrade remarked, 'Individual sports can be isolating, but Paris showed that camaraderie can exist between competitors.'
Tom Pidcock from Great Britain won the World Action Sportsperson of the Year award after a thrilling mountain bike race at Paris 2024, where he overcame a punctured tire to defend his Tokyo 2020 gold medal.
Pidcock shared his thoughts, saying, 'Winning the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year is a special moment. Adversity can sometimes make victory even sweeter.'
Jiang Yuyan, known as the 'Flying Fish' from China, was awarded Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability after securing seven gold medals at the Paralympic Games in Paris 2024.
Football also shone brightly, with Real Madrid named Laureus World Team of the Year and 17-year-old Lamine Yamal recognized as the World Breakthrough of the Year.
The Laureus Sport for Good Award was presented to Kick4Life, a charity that uses football to educate children and teens in Lesotho about HIV.
Kelly Slater, regarded as the greatest surfer ever, received the Laureus Lifetime Achievement award, joining the ranks of sports legends like Pele and Billie Jean King.
Reflecting on his journey, Slater said, 'You have to believe you can achieve something in order for it to happen.'
The evening concluded with a standing ovation for Rafael Nadal, who became the second recipient of the Sporting Icon Award, following Valentino Rossi.
Nadal, a two-time Olympic champion and 22-time Grand Slam winner, has won five Laureus awards throughout his career and expressed his hope that his journey inspires others.
He stated, 'As athletes, we have a unique opportunity to use our influence to make a positive impact on the world.'
Here is the complete list of winners from the 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards:
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: Mondo Duplantis
Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year: Simone Biles
Laureus World Team of the Year: Real Madrid
Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year: Lamine Yamal
Laureus World Comeback of the Year: Rebeca Andrade
Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Jiang Yuyan
Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year: Tom Pidcock
Laureus Sport for Good Award: Kick4Life
Laureus Sporting Icon Award: Rafael Nadal
Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award: Kelly Slater.