Gymnast Simone Biles; para swimmer Alice Tai and 15-year-old tennis player Coco Gauff are among the other nominees for the prestigious awards
Wednesday 15 January 2020 15:45, UK
Liverpool, Lewis Hamilton and Andy Murray are among those nominated in the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.
Premier League leaders Liverpool have secured a unique double-nomination on the 20th anniversary of the awards.
Jurgen Klopp's side are included in the Team of the Year category for their UEFA Champions League victory over Tottenham in June.
They are also nominated in the Comeback of the Year category for their remarkable fightback in the semi-final of the tournament against Barcelona, which saw them overturn a 3-0 deficit to advance 4-3 on aggregate.
Hamilton and Mercedes-AMG Petronas are also celebrating a double nomination for the 2020 Awards.
The 35-year-old won his sixth Formula One World Championship in 2019 to make him second in the all-time list, one behind Michael Schumacher. His 11 Grand Prix wins took him to 84 career victories, just seven behind Schumacher.
Mercedes won a record sixth consecutive F1 Drivers and Constructors World Championships in 2019.
Hamilton won 11 of the 21 Grands Prix during the year, with his team-mate Valtteri Bottas claiming four.
Mercedes, who claimed their 100th Grand Prix victory in Mexico in October, are nominated for the Laureus Team of the Year Award, which they won in 2018.
Two-time Formula One world champion and Laureus Academy Member Mika Hakkinen said: "Lewis continues to dominate Formula One with the excellent Mercedes car he is driving. They both deserve their nominations. Whatever changes the sport makes, Lewis and Mercedes always seem to adapt.
"Congratulations to both of them. The big question everyone wants to know now is whether Lewis can pull level with Michael Schumacher on seven world titles next year. At the moment you would have to say it seems likely. It will make it an interesting year."
Murray, who battled his way back to compete in top-flight tennis after career-threatening hip resurfacing surgery to win the 2019 European Open in Antwerp, is shortlisted in the Laureus World Comeback of the Year category.
The Scotsman's achievement in returning to action has been highlighted by Laureus Academy member Boris Becker.
"I never really expected to be making these comments about Andy, but it's great that I can," said Becker.
"He seemed to be on the point of retiring but over the years his fighting spirit has always been one of his strongest assets and that was evident in 2019. Not only did he get back playing on the circuit, but he won a tournament.
"That was an impressive achievement and he certainly deserves his nomination for the Laureus Comeback of the Year."
Gymnast Simone Biles is bidding for her third Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award after she won five gold medals at the World Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, equalling the record gold medal haul for the event.
Alice Tai, who won seven gold medals at the Para Swimming World Championships in London, is among those nominated in the Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability category.
Meanwhile, 15-year-old Coco Gauff is one of the nominees in the Breakthrough of the Year category after she reached the fourth round of the women's singles at Wimbledon, as well as the third round at the US Open in Flushing Meadows.
All the winners will be revealed at the Laureus World Sports Awards, which take place in Berlin on February 17.
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year
Lewis Hamilton (UK) Motor Racing
Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) Athletics
Marc Marquez (Spain) Motor Cycling
Lionel Messi (Argentina) Football
Rafael Nadal (Spain) Tennis
Tiger Woods (USA) Golf
Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year
Simone Biles (USA) Gymnastics
Allyson Felix (USA) Athletics
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica) Athletics
Naomi Osaka (Japan) Tennis
Megan Rapinoe (USA) Football
Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) Skiing
Laureus World Team of the Year
Liverpool (UK) Football
Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team (Germany) Motor Racing
South Africa Men's Rugby Team
Spain Men's Basketball Team
Toronto Raptors (Canada) Basketball
United States Women's Football Team
Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year
Bianca Andreescu (Canada) Tennis
Egan Bernal (Colombia) Cycling
Coco Gauff (USA) Tennis
Japan Men's Rugby Team
Andy Ruiz Jr (USA) Boxing
Regan Smith (USA) Swimming
Laureus World Comeback of the Year
Nathan Adrian (USA) Swimming
Sophia Florsch (Germany) Motor Racing
Christian Lealiifano (Australia) Rugby
Kawhi Leonard (USA) Basketball
Liverpool (UK) Football
Andy Murray (UK) Tennis
Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability
Omara Durand (Cuba) Athletics
Diede de Groot (Netherlands) Wheelchair Tennis
Oksana Masters (USA) Skiing and Cycling
Jetze Plat (Netherlands) Triathlon and Cycling
Manuela Schar (Switzerland) Wheelchair Athletics
Alice Tai (UK) Swimming
Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year
Italo Ferreira (Brazil) Surfing
Nyjah Huston (USA) Skateboarding
Chloe Kim (USA) Snowboarding
Rayssa Leal (Brazil) Skateboarding
Mark McMorris (Canada) Snowboarding
Carissa Moore (USA) Surfing
