Laureus Best Sporting Moment: Vote to win VIP tickets to Awards Ceremony in Monaco

Three pairs of tickets to one of the sporting galas of the year are up for grabs courtesy of a new category in the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.

In a first for the Awards, the public will have the chance to vote for the Best Sporting Moment of the Year from six special moments during 2016. The prize for three lucky voters is a pair of VIP tickets, including flights and accommodation in Monaco, for a once in a lifetime experience at the Awards Ceremony, walking the red carpet alongside some of the biggest names in sport.

The Laureus Best Sporting Moment of the Year Award identifies the sporting moment which had most resonance with sports fans around the world. Selected by the sporting legends of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the shortlist of six moments contain drama, fair play, sportsmanship, the magic and the wonder of sport. It is now down to sports fans around the world to cast their online votes.

The Nominees for Best Sporting Moment of 2016?

DRAMA: triathlon
Exhausted Jonny Brownlee needed to be helped over the finish line by brother Alistair in a dramatic end to the Triathlon World Series in Cozumel, Mexico. Leading with 700m left, Jonny began to weave over the road in hot and humid conditions. Second-placed Alistair caught his brother, propping him up for the final 200 metres before pushing him over the line ahead of himself. They were overtaken by South African Henri Schoeman, the eventual winner, and while victory in Mexico would have given Jonny the world title, second place left him just four points short.

FAIR PLAY: tennis
At the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia, US tennis player Jack Sock, leading 5:4 and 0-30, proved that sportsmanship is not dead when he encouraged Australian opponent Lleyton Hewitt to challenge an umpire’s decision that a service shot was out. Hewitt took Sock’s advice and asked for a review: the shot was found to be in. Hewitt went on to win the match 7-5, 6-4.

MAGICAL: football
The Icelandic national football team was met by a huge crowd in the country’s capital city of Reykjavik as they return from Euro 2016, where they reached the quarter-finals and knocked out England. The team travelled through the city on an open-top bus before holding a huge rally, during which the crowd of 1,000s took part in the so-called ‘Icelandic thunder clap’, which has been likened to a Viking war chant.

HEARTWARMING: football
It was a touching image that captured the hearts of football fans across Europe. A young Portuguese boy embraced a sobbing French man after France lost the Euro 2016 final in Paris to Portugal. “I told him it’s only a game”, said 10-year-old Matisse. The video went viral and melted a million hearts.

SPORTSMANSHIP: athletics
Nikki Hamblin and Abbey D’Agostino captured the Olympic spirit when competing in the qualifying heat for the 5,000 metres. With 2,000 metres left to go, New Zealand athlete Hamblin tripped and fell, accidentally tripping up the USA’s D’Agostino too. The American soon got up and, instead of running, helped Hamblin before faltering on a clearly injured knee. D’Agostino later fell down again and so Hamblin helped her up and the two began to run the race together before embracing at the finish line. Both runners were awarded places in the final but D’Agostino was unable to participate due to the injury she sustained.

REMARKABLE: junior football
Barcelona’s under-12 team consoled their Japanese rivals after beating them 1-0 in the final of the Junior Soccer World Challenge. Players from the local side Omiya Ardija looked visibly distraught at the final whistle, as the Barcelona team celebrated their win. The Barcelona boys noticed and rushed to hug their rivals in a touching display of sportsmanship.

The Awards ceremony takes place on 14 February. The voting period lasts from 16 January to 4 February: Go to https://mylaureus.com/

The other Laureus shortlists comprise six nominations in each of seven categories compiled from a ballot of the world’s sporting media. The winners are voted for by the Laureus World Sports Academy, which is made up of 50 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time headed by Chairman Edwin Moses.

Nominees

Laureus Sportsman of Year

Usain Bolt
Stephen Curry
Mo Farah
LeBron James
Andy Murray
Cristiano Ronaldo

Laureus Sportswoman of Year

Simone Biles
Allyson Felix
Angelique Kerber
Katie Ledecky
Elaine Thompson
Laura Kenny
Laureus Team of Year

Brazil Men’s Olympic Football Team

Cleveland Cavaliers
Chicago Cubs
Mercedes AMG Petronas
Portugal Men’s Football Team
Real Madrid

Laureus Breakthrough of Year

Almaz Ayana
Fiji Men’s Rugby Sevens Team
Iceland Men’s Football Team
Leicester City
Nico Rosberg
Wayde van Niekerk

Laureus Comeback of Year

Ruth Beitia
Michael Phelps
Juan Martin del Potro
Fabienne St Louis
Nick Skelton
Aksel Lund Svindal

Laureus Sportsperson of Year with a Disability

Ihar Boki
Omara Durand
Marcel Hug
Sophie Pascoe
Siamand Rahman
Beatrice Vio

Laureus Action Sportsperson of Year

Rachel Atherton
Pedro Barros
John John Florence
Chloe Kim
Kelly Sildaru
Tyler Wright