Swiss tennis player Roger
Federer kisses the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award at the
Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg February 18, 2008.
Swiss tennis star Roger Federer has made history by becoming the
first ever four times winner of Laureus World Sports Awards on
Monday.
He was named Laureus Sportsman of the Year for the fourth
straight time at the 2008 Awards ceremony after another superb
year, which saw him once again win three Grand Slam titles out of
four for the third season in a row.
Tennis was the biggest winner in Saint Petersburg as Belgium's
Justine Henin won the Sportswoman of the Year award and Holland's
Esther Vergeer, the greatest wheelchair tennis star of all-time,
took away the Laureus Disability trophy for the second time.
Two of the biggest names in British sport also have their hands
on Laureus as Lewis Hamilton won the Breakthrough of the Year award
after his remarkable debut season in Formula One, while long
distance runner Paula Radcliffe had the Comeback of the Year
award.
South Africa took the World Team of the Year Award after their
Rugby World Cup success in the autumn while skateboarder and
snowboarder Shaun White of the United States was awarded the Action
Sportsperson of the Year.
"I have to thank all the voters who didn't think three (Laureus
awards) would be enough," said Federer, who won the award ahead of
golfer Tiger Woods of the United States and FIFA World Player of
the Year Kaka.
"Each year it feels great but I have to say the first one was
the most important," he told a press conference after the ceremony,
"it made the statement that Roger Federer has arrived."
At the age of 26, he is just two Grand Slam victories away from
Pete Sampras' record 14 wins.
"Since we're so close now, of course it's on my mind (to break
his record). I could be if I still win the last three (this year),
but I think it'll be very difficult, " he said.
Federer, who has been the world No. one since February 2004,
lost to Novak Djokovic in the semi-final of the Australian Open
last month.
Henin beat last year's winner Russian pole-vaulter Yelena
Isinbayeva to lift the Sportswoman trophy for the first time.
She overcame the breakup of her marriage and her absence from
the Australian Open to stage a strong comeback last year, becoming
the first player to win ten titles in a season since Martina Hingis
achieved the feat ten years ago.
"It was a tough year personally with big issues, but I kept
fighting and it's been the best year of my career so far," she
said.
"It'll be great to win Wimbledon which I never had and the
Beijing Olympics is another goal for me this year."
There was a warm reception at the ceremony for Ukraine pole
vault legend Sergey Bubka who received the Lifetime Achievement
honor.
Canadian Dick Pound, who retired after eight years as Chairman
of the World Anti-Doping Agency, won the Spirit of Sport Award.
The Laureus Sport for Good trophy went to Brendan and Sean
Tuohey of the United States for their work in founding the
PeacePlayers International Project.
The Laureus Awards, inaugurated in 2000, is a global sports
awards honoring the greatest sportsmen and women across all sports
each year.
The winners are selected by the 43 members of the Laureus World
Sports Academy, consisting of the world's sports legends.
(Xinhua News Agency February 19, 2008)
