Cape Town - South Africa’s Olympic 400m champion sprinter Wayde van Niekerk is in line for global honours at the Laureus World Sports Awards, it was announced on Wednesday, after he was listed among the nominees for Breakthrough of the Year.
Van Niekerk, who set a new world record of 43.03 seconds to win 400m gold at last year’s Rio Olympic Games, was nominated alongside Ethiopian distance runner Almaz Ayana, German Formula One driver Nico Rosberg, the Fiji national rugby sevens team, the Iceland national football side and Leicester City Football Club.
“Congratulations to Wayde on receiving further recognition for his superb 2016 season,” said Athletics South Africa president Aleck Skhosana.
“Having already been named SA Sports Star of the Year and the Male Athlete of the Rio Games, this nomination again highlights how significant his achievements were last year.
“We are tremendously proud of him and his coach Anna Botha, and we wish Wayde all the best ahead of the Laureus ceremony.”
The Laureus World Sports Awards will take place on February 14 in Monaco.
Cristiano Ronaldo, voted Fifa Best Men’s Player this week, has been nominated for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year as well, alongside Usain Bolt, Stephen Curry, Mo Farah, LeBron James and Andy Murray.
More athletics stars from the Rio Olympics headline the women’s award, with sprinters Allyson Felix and Elaine Thompson in contention, as well as swimmer Katie Ledecky, World No 1 tennis player Angelique Kerber, gymnast Simone Biles and cyclist Laura Kenny.