Lionel Messi wins top Laureus award

Paris, May 9

Lionel Messi has won a top accolade as world Sportsman of the Year and picked up another award as a member of the team of the year following Argentina’s FIFA World Cup victory in 2022.

Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce finally broke through to win the Sportswoman of the Year award on her sixth nomination. Fraser-Pryce’s 2022 exploits included winning the 100 metres gold at the World Athletics Championships for the fifth time.

The Laureus Sports Awards honouring eight winners were held live in Paris on Monday night for the first time since 2020.

It was Messi’s second individual title after sharing that honour with Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton in 2020.

Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz’s victory at the 2022 US Open and his rise to the No. 1 ranking saw him take the Breakthrough of the Year award. Alcaraz, who celebrated his 20th birthday last week, won Sunday’s final of the Madrid Open. — AP