Central Hall Westminster to host World’s biggest Sports Awards in 2012

The 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards Ceremony will be staged at Central Hall Westminster on the evening of Monday 6 of February. The event will be attended by the biggest names in world Sports both past and present.

The names of Nominees were announced by Laureus World Sports Academy Members including Lord Sebastian Coe, Sean Fitzpatrick, Daley Thomson, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Boris Becker at a press conference, held at Central Hall Westminster.

The Laureus World Sports Awards are the premier honours on the international sporting calendar. The winners are chosen from six Nominees in each category by the vote of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the ultimate sports jury, made up of 47 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time. The Nominees for 2012 include individual athletes and teams from Rugby, Football, Athletics, Tennis, Motorsports and many other classes.
Proceeds from the event directly benefit and underpin the work of Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, supporting 89 community sports projects around the world and has raised over 40million Euros which has improved the lives of one and a half million children.

Paul Southern, Managing Director of Central Hall Westminster said: ’I am a massive sport fan and this event is the most prestigious ceremony on the world sporting calendar; I couldn’t be happier and my staff are also very excited to host these Awards. The guest list of international stars from every sport is incredible and we cannot wait to show the rest of the world our spectacular and flexible venue”

Among the winners who have received Awards at previous Ceremonies have been Jenson Button, Roger Federer, Sir Alex Ferguson, Lewis Hamilton, Rafael Nadal, Michael Schumacher, Kelly Slater, Serena Williams and many others.

Central Hall Westminster has been chosen to host this respected event for the venue’s central London location and remarkable event space including the 2,000 seat capacity Great Hall and over 25 breakout and meeting rooms.

The full list of nominees for the 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards is:

Laureus World Sportsman of the Year

Usain Bolt (Jamaica) Athletics – two gold medals in World Athletics Championships in Daegu
Novak Djokovic (Serbia) Tennis – won Australian, Wimbledon and US Open Grand Slams           
Cadel Evans (Australia) Cycling – winner of the Tour de France
Lionel Messi (Argentina) Football – FC Barcelona’s star player, scored 53 goals in 2010/11 season
Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) Basketball – first European to be named MVP at NBA Finals
Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Motor Racing – won second straight F1 World Championship at 24

Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya) Athletics – won World Championship 5k & 10K and cross-country title
Maria Höfl-Riesch (Germany) Alpine Skiing – beat Lindsey Vonn to win overall World Cup
Carmelita Jeter (US) Athletics – won 100m and 4 x 100m relay gold medals in World Championships
Petra Kvitova (Czech) Tennis – won her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon, plus WTA Championship
Homare Sawa (Japan) Football – won Golden Ball and Golden Boot in FIFA World Cup
Yani Tseng (Taiwan) Golf – at 22, won two golf Majors and headed LPGA money list by over US$1m

Laureus World Team of the Year

All Blacks (N.Zealand) Rugby – won 2011 Rugby World Cup in their own country
FC Barcelona (Spain) Football – won Champions League and Spanish League in 2010/11
Dallas Mavericks (US) Basketball – won their first ever NBA Championship
England Cricket Team – became world No 1 after Ashes win in Australia and beating India 4-0
Japan Women’s Football Team – became first Asian team to win FIFA Women’s World Cup
Red Bull (Austria) Motor Racing – won second straight F1 Constructors World Championship

Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year

Yohan Blake (Jamaica) Athletics – at 21, won 100m gold medal in World Championships
Mo Farah (UK) Athletics – winner of the 5,000 metres gold medal in the World Championships
Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) Tennis – at 21, won her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon
Rory McIlroy (UK) Golf – at 22, won US Open, his first Major Championship
Li Na (China) Tennis – won French Open to become China’s first ever Grand Slam winner
Oscar Pistorius (SA) Athletics – first amputee to win track medal in non-disabled World Championships

Laureus World Comeback of the Year

Eric Abidal (France) Football – beat cancer to play in winning Barcelona Champions League team
Darren Clarke (UK) Golf – at 42, recovered from slump in form to win Open Championship
Crusaders (NZ) Rugby – despite Christchurch earthquake, Crusaders reached final of Super 15
Sergio Garcia (Spain) Golf – won two European Tour events, after three years without a victory
Liu Xiang (China) Athletics – after 2008 Olympic disappointment, won silver in World Championships
Queensland Reds (Australia) Rugby – won Super 15 rugby despite floods in Queensland

Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability

Daniel Dias (Brazil) Swimming – won 11 gold medals in 11 events at Parapan Games

Terezinha Guilhermina (Brazil) Athletics – won 4 gold medals in IPC World Championships
Oscar Pistorius (SA) Athletics – first amputee to win track medal in non-disabled World Championships
Esther Vergeer (Netherlands) Wheelchair Tennis – unbeaten in singles for more than eight years
David Weir (UK) Wheelchair Athletics – won 3 gold medals in IPC World Championships
Irek Zaripov (Russia) Nordic Skiing – won 6 medals in IPC World Skiing Championships

 

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