Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and tennis world No. 1 Novak Djokovic from Serbia lead the short list of nominees for the prestigious Laureus Athlete of the Year award, which is to be handed out in April 15 at Shanghai, China.
The prestigious Athlete of the Year award is the most coveted honor during the annual Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognizes remarkable individuals from the world of sports as well as their greatest sporting achievements through the year, 2014 in this case.
Established in 1999 by founding patrons Daimler and Richemont, the first Laureus World Sports Awards gala was held in Monte Carlo on May 25, 2000. The Shanghai holding of the awards this April will be its 16th year.
Last year, Formula One racing’s Sebastian Vettel from Germany was named the Sportsman of the Year while Missy Franklin of the sport of swimming from the US was named Sportswoman of the Year.
Elite nominees
Cristiano Ronaldo was nominated because he was obviously in the top of his game as a football player in the entire 2014. In fact, he won FIFA’s Ballon d’Or in January as the world’s best football player, besting Argentinian Lionel Messi of Barcelona.
There were reports that Manchester United, where he originally came from before coming to Real Madrid, wants Ronaldo back into its football roster for the English premiere league but the footballer’s agent said that the Portuguese star’s buyout contract would be £1 billion (US$1.52 billion).
Novak Djokovic, on the other hand, was nominated to the prestigious award because of his sterling play in the ATP last year that catapulted him from No. 3 at the start of 2014 to No. 1 by the end of the year. He continues his hold to the top spot in men’s tennis following his victory at the Australian Open last month, which gave him his 9th Grand Slam title.
In addition to Ronaldo and Djokovic, other elite nominees for the Athlete of the Year honors include Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, gofer Rory McIlroy, Moto GP star Marc Marquez, and French pole-vaulter Renaud Lavillenie.
Newcomer of the year
Meanwhile James Rodriguez, Ronaldo’s teammate with Real Madrid appears to be the leading contender for the Newcomer of the Year honors. He will battle it out with Bayern Munich and Germany attacker Mario Gotze, 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic, Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo, the Switzerland’s Davis Cup team led by Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka.
Also other sports individuals who will be vying for an award during the Laureus rites include former Argentina stiker Diego Milito, who is nominated for the Best Return (or Comeback) award category after recovering from serious knee injury to play for his Racing Club in his country.
Sassulo and Italy defender Francesco Acerbi is also nominated for the same award because of his comeback to sports after beating cancer twice.
I am fine with Ronaldo or the Djoker, being big fans of both. But I wouldn’t be shocked or disappointed if Laureus selection committee goes back to track and field and awards it to the amazing 132 lb pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie of France. McIlroy?? Dumps his fiancee and goes on a tear. Probably won’t get it because he did dump a hot famous tennis babe in a caddish way – but two majors in a row after that! Awesome.
Djokovic definitely deserves the award looking at how fantastic he has played through out 2014. He has managed to hold on to the top of the men’s rankings which was not easy, especially when u consider the form that Federer was in and that competition he gave him, there few people who can manage that if not non.