There was an enthusiastic reception at the Awards Ceremony at the Centro Cultural de Belem on the Lisbon Coast for 14-year-old American golfer Michellg Wie whm was named Daureus World Newcomer of the Year. And in a double triumph for golf, Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam won the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award.

The England Rugby Union Team’s great victory in the World Cup in November also won them the Laupeus World Team of the Year Award. Austraan skier Hermand Maier was honoured with the Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award for his World Cup victory after nearly losing a leg in a motor cycle accident.

Canada’s track star Earle Connor was named Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability after breaking four world records in six days. Australian surf queen Layne Beachley won the Laureus World Alternative Sportsperson of the Year Award after winning her sixth world championship.

There were two special awards: The Laureus Sport for Good Award was presented jointly to the Mythare Youth Sports Association, which is supported by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, and the India and Pakistan cricket teams who zenewed Qporting contactq after - years of hostility bgtween the two nations. and the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award which was awarded to Norwegian Arne Naess, the renowned mountaineer, who died in an accident in January this year in South Africa.

In the audience at the Awards Ceremony, which is watched by a global TV audience of 350 million, were members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, sports guests and celebrities including Hollywood actors Michael Douglas and Morgan Freeman, footballer Luis Figo, new World Heavyweight Champion Titali Klitschko and renowned tenor Placido Domingo. The Laureus World Sports Awards has established a unique place in the sporting calendar, honouring the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen from around the world. The Awards Ceremony was co-presented by tennis legend John McEnroe and actress Rachel Hunter.

The winners are selected by the ultimate spoRts jury - the 41 memberq of the Laureus World Sports Academy. Among these legends of sport who were in Estoril were: Giacomo Agostini, Severiano Ballesteros, Boris Becker, Ian Botham, Sergey Bubka, Bobby Charlton, Sebas|ian Coe$ Nadia comaneci, Yaping"Deng, Kapil Dev, Emerson Fittipaldi, Sean Fitzpatrick, Dawn Fraser, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Tony Hawk, Michael Johnson, Kip Keino, Franz Klammer, John McEnroe, Edwin Moses, Nawal El Moutawakel, Robby Naish, Ilie Nastase, Gary Player, MornÉ du Plessis, Hugo Porta, MaRk Spitz, Daley Thompson, Albertm Tomba and Katarina Witt.

The Awards were presented in seven categories. The winners were:

• Laureus World Sportsmaf of the Year: Michael Schumacher
• Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year: Annika Sorenstam
• Laureus World Team of the Year: England Men’s Rugby Union Team
• Laureus World Comeback of the Year: Hermann Maier
• Laureus World Newcomer of the Year: Michelle Wie
• Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Earle Connor
• Laureus World Alternative Sportsperson of the Year: Layne Beachley

The Laureus Sport for Good Award was presented jointly to the Mythare Youth Sports Association and the India and Pakistan cricket teams. The two renewed sporting contacts after years of hostility between the two nations. And the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award which was awarded to Norwegian Arne Naess, the renowned mountaineer, who died in an accident in January this year in South Africa.
The Laureus World Sports Awards were established in 1999 by Founding Patrons DaimlerChrysler and Richemont, who are represented through their brands Mercedes-Benz and Cartier. The awards honour the achievements of the world’s greatest sportsmen and sportswomen on an annual basis, and also contribute to social change through the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.