Connect Mikey Gatal
WELCOME FRIENDS TO MIKEY GATAL'S WORLD => SPORTS IN GENERAL => Topic started by: OMG on March 10, 2010, 11:00:08 AM
-
By BARBARA SURK
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt won his second straight Laureus Sportsman of the Year award Wednesday and American tennis player Serena Williams won the women’s prize for the second time.
Bolt won three gold medals at last year’s athletics world championships and set world records in the 100 and 200-meter races. Williams won the Australian Open and Wimbledon and regained the No. 1 ranking.
Speaking from Jamaica, where Bolt is training, the sprinter said he aims to “keep winning, keep running and breaking records.”
“Anything is possible,” Bolt said. “I just need to keep working hard and keep breaking records. That’s the aim for me.”
Bolt beat Roger Federer to the title for the second straight year. Federer, a four-time Laureus winner, was also shortlisted this year after the Swiss tennis star surpassed Pete Sampras in 2009 for the most major singles titles, winning his sixth Wimbledon and taking his first French Open title to complete a career Grand Slam.
Williams also won the Sportswoman of the Year award in 2003, and then claimed the Comeback of the Year award in 2007.
The Laureus Sports Awards recognize achievements in 2009.
Belgian tennis player Kim Clijsters earned the award for the Comeback of the Year. Clijsters won the U.S. Open last year after she was absent from tennis for almost two years, getting married and giving birth.
Two of the winners came from Formula One.
British driver Jenson Button won the Breakthrough of the Year Award after winning his first F1 title, and Brawn GP earned the award for the Team of the Year after almost going out of business in the offseason.
Button said it was “a very special feeling” to win a breakthrough award at the age of 30.
“Last year was very special in my life,” Button said. “When I started the season I didn’t think I’d race in F1 so to clinch the trophy in the first season was very special.”
He called the 2010 opening race in Bahrain “a brand new challenge for me with the McLaren Mercedes team.”
“Hopefully, I can get close to holding one of these once again,” Button said.
Three-time world surfing champion Stephanie Gilmore of Australia was named World Action Sportsperson of the Year and swimmer Natalie du Toit of South Africa earned the Laureus Disability award. Du Toit is one of five athletes to have competed in the Paralympics and Olympics, after swimming in both events at the 2008 Beijing Games.