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Usain Bolt, the greatest sprinter of all time, heads the sporting legends attending this year's Laureus World Sports Awards, the most prestigious honours event on the international sporting calendar.
The Jamaican superstar, famous for his trademark victory lightning bolt pose, won four Laureus Awards in his spectacular career in which he won eight Olympic and 11 World Championship gold medals between 2008 and 2016. Now Usain is back at Laureus to join many of the biggest names in the sport, past and present, who will be in Madrid on April 22, paying tribute to the achievements of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of the year. The Laureus Awards typically attract the widest spread of stars from different sports across the board, emphasising their reputation as 'The Athletes Awards'. Among the tennis stars attending will be two-time Spanish Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza, Katie Boulter, Alex de Minaur, Elena Rybakina and, fresh from victory at the Monte-Carlo Masters, Stefanos Tsitsipas. Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Nominees and skateboarding sensations Arisa Trew and Rayssa Leal will also be in Madrid, together with Action Nominee and Brazilian surfer Filipe Toledo, MMA star Ilia Topuria and many other current sporting stars. They are joined by a classic collection of some of the greatest footballers ever to play the game - all members of the Laureus World Sports Academy: Brazil's World Cup legend Cafu, Italian goalscoring phenomenon Alessandro Del Piero, former captain of France and World Cup winner Marcel Desailly, Portugal's Luis Figo, who played for FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, Dutch master Ruud Gullit, and the great Raul, star of Real Madrid and Spain. Also present will be Atletico Madrid star and Argentina World Cup winner Rodrigo De Paul, classy defender Patrice Evra, who played 81 times for France, and Fabio Capello, coach of AC Milan, Real Madrid, Roma, Juventus as well as national sides England and Russia. The six Nominees for Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability will also be at the Awards in the Spanish capital, including New Zealand cyclist Nicole Murray, para swimmers Danylo Chufarov and Simone Barlaam, Hungarian para athlete Luca Ekler, German long jumper Markus Rehm and wheelchair tennis great Diede de Groot. This is the 25th edition of the Laureus Awards - now regarded as the 'Athletes' Awards' due to the unique selection process and the regard in which they are held by sportsmen and women at all levels. The responsibility of selecting the Winners falls to the Members of the Laureus World Sports Academy - legends of sport who are best-placed to appreciate the unique stories and achievements of the Nominees selected in each category by a panel of over 1,300 top sports media. This is the first time the Laureus Awards have been held in Madrid and Spanish sporting legend Miguel Indurain joins Raul among the Academy Members present on Monday, April 22 at the Palacio de Cibeles, one of the Spanish capital's most iconic buildings. Other Academy Members who will share in the celebrations include tennis icon Martina Navratilova, Academy Chairman and rugby legend Sean Fitzpatrick, gymnastic great Nadia Comaneci. Among those joining Nominees and sports stars as well as sports fans from fashion, film and entertainment are: Football: Cafu, Fabio Capello, Alessandro Del Piero, Rodrigo De Paul, Marcel Desailly, Patrice Evra, Luis Figo, Ruud Gullit, Raul Athletics: Usain Bolt, Nawal El Moutawakel, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Michael Johnson, Edwin Moses, Tanni Grey-Thompson Rugby: Sean Fitzpatrick (Chairman), Bryan Habana, Hugo Porta, Siya Kolisi Skiing: Maria Hofl-Riesch, Franz Klammer, Alberto Tomba, Lindsey Vonn Cycling: Fabian Cancellara, Miguel Indurain Tennis: Martina Navratilova, Boris Becker, Garbine Muguruza, Alex de Minaur, Katie Boulter, Elena Rybakina, Stefanos Tsitsipas Gymnastics: Nadia Comaneci, Li Xiaopeng MMA: Ilia Topuria Motor Cycling: Giacomo Agostini, Jorge Lorenzo Motor Racing: Sophia Florsch Para Athletics: Markus Rehm, Luca Ekler Para Cycling: Nicole Murray Para Swimming: Danylo Chufarov, Simone Barlaam, Daniel Dias Rowing: Steve Redgrave Squash: Nicol David Skateboarding: Arisa Trew, Rayssa Leal Speed Skating: Yang Yang Hockey: Luciana Aymar Sailing: Kirsten Neuschafer Surfing: Filipe Toledo Wheelchair Tennis: Diede de Groot. (ANI)
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