Federer wins Laureus award again

BARCELONA – Tennis number one Roger Federer was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for the third year in a row on Monday.

The 25-year-old Swiss became the first sportsman to receive the award on three occasions, making off with it once again for his continued domination of men’s tennis in 2006. Russia’s record-breaking pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva won the award for World Sportswoman of the Year, while the team of the year award went to the Italian football side for their World Cup triumph.Tennis was the big winner at the awards ceremony with American Serena Williams taking the comeback of the year award and the breakthrough prize going to fellow tennis player Amelie Mauresmo of France following her first two grand slam titles.Barcelona Football Club were given the Spirit of Sport award for their support of UNICEF and former Germany captain Franz Beckenbauer, who led his side to victory in the 1974 World Cup and was involved in organising the 2006 tournament, took the lifetime achievement award.German mono-skier Martin Braxenthaler took the award for the sportsperson with a disability after winning gold medals in three of the four Alpine skiing disciplines at the Paralympic Winter Games in Turin.American surfer Kelly Slater was named action sportsperson of the year after becoming world champion for a record eighth time and Briton Luke Dowdney was given the Sport for Good award for founding a boxing project for young people in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.Nampa-ReutersRussia’s record-breaking pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva won the award for World Sportswoman of the Year, while the team of the year award went to the Italian football side for their World Cup triumph.Tennis was the big winner at the awards ceremony with American Serena Williams taking the comeback of the year award and the breakthrough prize going to fellow tennis player Amelie Mauresmo of France following her first two grand slam titles.Barcelona Football Club were given the Spirit of Sport award for their support of UNICEF and former Germany captain Franz Beckenbauer, who led his side to victory in the 1974 World Cup and was involved in organising the 2006 tournament, took the lifetime achievement award.German mono-skier Martin Braxenthaler took the award for the sportsperson with a disability after winning gold medals in three of the four Alpine skiing disciplines at the Paralympic Winter Games in Turin.American surfer Kelly Slater was named action sportsperson of the year after becoming world champion for a record eighth time and Briton Luke Dowdney was given the Sport for Good award for founding a boxing project for young people in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.Nampa-Reuters