The Laureus World Sports Awards marked its 25th anniversary Monday night with a star-studded ceremony in Madrid, celebrating the achievements of top athletes from the past year and across the 21st century.
Gymnastics stars Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade were among the evening’s big winners. Biles was named Sportswoman of the Year, while Andrade earned the Comeback of the Year honor following her recovery from injury and gold medal win at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The ceremony also recognized both sides of Spain’s football rivalry, with Real Madrid and Barcelona’s rising star Lamine Yamal receiving accolades. Olympic and Paralympic champions such as Mondo Duplantis, Tom Pidcock and Jijang Yuan were also honored.
Tennis legend Rafael Nadal received the Laureus Sporting Icon Award for his enduring legacy in the sport.
The 2025 Laureus Sport for Good Award was presented to Kick4Life, a Lesotho-based football program that uses the sport to drive social change, highlighting the broader impact of athletics around the world.