Pascoe up for Laureus Award

New Zealand para-swimmer Sophie Pascoe has been nominated for a Laureus Sports Award.

The Kiwi won five medals at the Rio Paralympics – three golds and two silvers.

She is in the category of sportsperson of the year with a disability, and is up against fellow swimmer Ihar Boki from Belarus, visually impaired Cuban sprinter Omara Durand, Iran weightlifter Siamand Rahman, Swiss wheelchair racer Marcel Hug and Italian fencer Beatrice Vio.

Her nomination for a global gong came on the same day she was named a finalist in New Zealand’s Halberg Awards.

Pascoe, from Christchurch, is the only New Zealander in the mix of the Laureus Awards. The winners will be announced a in Monaco on February 14.

Last year, the world champion All Blacks had a breakthrough win in the team award. Steve Hansen’s team haven’t made the cut this time, despite dropping just one test in 2016. Fiji’s Olympic and world series champion sevens team have been nominated in the breakthrough of the year category.

The Laureus sports academy is chaired by former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick, who said: ‘‘You always know in an Olympic year you are going to see a strong group of nominees and this year has certainly proved that.’’

Laureus Awards Nominees:

Sportsman

Cristiano Ronaldo (football) Usain Bolt (athletics) Mo Farah (athletics) Andy Murray (tennis) Stephen Curry (basketball) Lebron James (basketball)

Sportswoman of the Year

Simone Biles (gymnastics) Katie Ledecky (swimming) Allyson Felix (athletics) Angelique Kerber (tennis) Elaine Thompson (athletics) Laura Kenny (cycling)

Comeback of of the Year the

Michael Phelps (swimming) Ruth Beitia (athletics) Juan Martin del Potro (tennis) Nick Skelton (equestrian) Fabienne (triathlon) Aksel Lund Svindal (skiing)

Mercedes AMG Petronas (motorsport) Portugal (football) Real Madrid (football) Brazil Olympic team (football) Chicago Cubs (baseball) Cleveland Cavaliers (basketball)

Team of the Year Year Breakthrough of the Year

Nico Rosberg (motorsport) Almaz Ayana Wayde van Niekerk (athletics) Leicester City (football) Iceland (football) Fiji (rugby sevens)

Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award

Sophie Pascoe (swimming) Ihar Boki (swimming) Omara Durand (athletics) Siamand Rahman (weightlifting) Marcel Hug (athletics) Beatrice Vio (fencing)

Action Sportsperson of the Year

John John Florence (surfing) Tyler Wright (surfing) Chloe Kim (snowboarding) Pedro Barros (skateboarding) Rachel Atherton (mountain biking) Kelly Sildaru (skiing)