Spain's World Cup-winning midfielder Aitana Bonmati was crowned Sportswoman of the Year, while Serbia's Novak Djokovic claimed the top men's honor at the prestigious Laureus Awards ceremony on Monday.
Bonmati, who has solidified her status as a powerhouse in women's football with accolades such as FIFA's The Best, Ballon d'Or, and World Cup MVP, took to the stage for the second time that evening as the Spanish women's football team was honored as Team of the Year, marking the first time a female squad has received this prestigious award.
Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady presented Djokovic with his fifth Laureus award after the top-ranked tennis player enjoyed a remarkable 2023. Djokovic equaled Margaret Court's all-time record haul of 24 Grand Slam titles after winning the U.S. Open last September.
Djokovic contested all four major finals in 2023, also winning the Australian and French Opens. He was the runner-up at Wimbledon.
England midfielder Jude Bellingham, who has significantly impacted La Liga in his first season with Real Madrid, was named the Breakthrough Player of the Year, the first footballer to win this award.
Gymnast Simone Biles won the Comeback of the Year award after securing four gold medals at last year's world championships, her first international event since competing at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Biles headed to the Tokyo Games eyeing a record haul of six gold medals but returned home with just a silver and a bronze after suffering a crisis of confidence that saw her drop out of multiple events due to "the twisties," a type of mental block where gymnasts are disoriented.
Biles, the most decorated gymnast with 37 world and Olympic medals, then took a two-year break from the sport to protect her mental health before making her triumphant comeback last year.
The global media selects the nominees for the Laureus World Sports Awards, and the 69 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy determine the winners. The awards have been presented annually since 2000.