Taranaki Daily News

Pascoe up for Laureus Award

- SPORTS AWARDS

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

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

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)

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