Kelly Does it Again

Due to other commitments (when surfers hear another surfer say that ... well, what on earth could be more important? :), he could not be present at the awards ceremony. When his win was announced, a personal message from Kelly posing with a previous award adorned a huge screen, making the audience seem like tiny serfs (sorry) in the kingdom of Kelly.

Tennis star Novak Djokovic, who just defeated Rafa Nadal in a record marathon final at the Australian Open, and Vivian Cheruiyot, the Kenyan athletics super star, received the top Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year prizes.

The 13th annual Laureus World Sports Awards, where held in the heart of old London, at Central Hall, Westminster.

The Laureus World Sports Academy, the ultimate sports jury composed of 47 of the greatest athletes in the world, selected the winners. The red carpet sizzled with global figures from sport and Hollywood including Luke Wilson, Thandie Newton, Lennox Lewis and Bar Rafaeli. The Awards Ceremony was hosted by actor Clive Owen.

Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which supports 91 community sports projects across the globe (including projects in the U.S.). The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation is a global leader in research, expertise and best practice in supporting grassroots programs around the world. The members of the Laureus World Sport Academy volunteer their time to act as the driving force for the Laureus charity.

The winners
Sportsman of the Year: Novak Djokovic
Sportswoman of the Year: Vivian Cheruiyot
Team of the Year: FC Barcelona
Breakthrough of the Year: Rory McIlroy
Comeback of the Year: Darren Clarke
Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Oscar Pistorius
Action Sportsperson of the Year: Kelly Slater
Lifetime Achievement Award: Bobby Charlton
Sport for Good Award: Raaací Souza Vieira de Oliveira

The nominees
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year
Usain Bolt (Jamaica) Athletics; Novak Djokovic (Serbia) Tennis; Cadel Evans (Australia) Cycling; Lionel Messi (Argentina) Football Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) Basketball Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Motor Racing

Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year
Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya) Athletics; Maria Hoefl-Riesch (Germany) Alpine Skiing; Carmelita Jeter (U.S.) Athletics; Petra Kvitova (Czech) Tennis; Homare Sawa (Japan) Football; Yani Tseng (Taiwan) Golf

Laureus World Team of the Year
All Blacks (N.Zealand) Rugby FC Barcelona (Spain) Football Dallas Mavericks (U.S.) Basketball England Cricket Team Japan Women's Football Team Red Bull (Austria) Motor Racing
Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year
Yohan Blake (Jamaica) Athletics; Mo Farah (UK) Athletics; Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) Tennis; Rory McIlroy (UK) Golf; Li Na (China) Tennis; Oscar Pistorius (SA) Athletics
Laureus World Comeback of the Year
Eric Abidal (France) Football; Darren Clarke (UK) Golf; Crusaders (NZ) Rugby; Sergio Garcia (Spain) Golf; Liu Xiang (China) Athletics; Queensland Reds (Australia) Rugby
Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability
Daniel Dias (Brazil) Swimming; Terezinha Guilhermina (Brazil) Athletics; Oscar Pistorius (SA) Athletics; Esther Vergeer (Netherlands) Wheelchair Tennis; David Weir (UK) Wheelchair Athletics; Irek Zaripov (Russia) Nordic Skiing
Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year
Jamie Bestwick (UK) BMX; Philip Koester (Germany) Windsurfing; Carissa Moore (U.S.) Surfing; Travis Rice (U.S.) Snowboarding; Kelly Slater (U.S.) Surfing; Shaun White (U.S.) Skateboarding/Snowboarding

About Laureus Laureus

( www.laureus.com ) comprises the Laureus World Sports Academy, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the Laureus World Sports Awards. Collectively, these three elements form the essence of Laureus, harnessing the power of sport to promote social change and celebrating sporting excellence. Laureus celebrates the universal power of sport to bring people together as a force for good, passionately embodying the very spirit of sport -- the pursuit of excellence, overcoming challenges, celebrating achievement and excellence, and winning against the odds.