SIMONE BILES TRIUMPHS AT LAUREUS AWARDS AGAIN
American gymnast Simone Biles was awarded the Sportswoman of the Year Award at the 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards.
The 28-year-old has won the coveted award four times. The only other athlete to have received the same award four times is tennis legend Serena Williams.
“I won this Award for the first time in 2017, and Laureus has been a part of my story since then, and I share their belief that sport has the power to change the world,” said Biles.
“That might be a little girl watching someone like me on television and deciding she can do it, too. Or it could be the incredible work Laureus Sport for Good has undertaken for the past 25 years, all over the world.”
The male version of the award was won by Swedish pole-vaulter Mondo Duplantis.
The 25-year-old secured his second Olympic gold medal last year when he became the first men’s pole-vaulter to win back-to-back golds since Bob Richards did so in 1956.
“The Laureus Awards are the ultimate awards that we athletes want to win. I know because this is the fourth time I have been nominated – and that proves it’s harder to win a Laureus than an Olympic gold medal!” Duplantis jokingly told reporters afterwards.
“I’m following in the footsteps of giants like Novak (Djokovic), Usain, Rafael Nadal and Lionel Messi. The list of past winners of this Award is like a history of sporting greatness over the past 25 years.”
Team of the Year went to Real Madrid, while the Sporting Icon Award of the Year was awarded to Rafael Nadal.
Kelly Slater was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Image credit: CNN