The Laureus World Sports Awards are widely considered the premier sporting honours on the planet and Britain has five athletes up for major prizes following the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Distance runner Mo Farah and cyclist Bradley Wiggins are both up for Laureus World Sportsman of the Year with heptathlete Jessica Ennis nominated for Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year, tennis player Andy Murray for Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year and wheelchair racer David Weir for Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability.

"I am not at all surprised that so many British athletes have been nominated for Laureus Awards after the superb showing by the British team in London," said Coe, who is also a Laureus World Sports Academy Member and a double 1500 metres Olympic champion.

"All five that have been shortlisted reached personal milestones at the Olympics and of course Andy Murray at the US Open and Bradley Wiggins in the Tour de France achieved massive sporting breakthroughs away from London as well.

"Any one of the five deserves to win a Laureus Award for their great sporting successes in 2012 in what was a remarkable year for British sport.

"We wanted the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games to leave a legacy and encourage young people in the UK and around the world to take up sport and it is the example of great sportsmen and women like these which will provide the role models for the sports stars of tomorrow."

The ceremony, which is due take place at the Theatro Municipal in Rio next Monday (March 11), will see Farah and Wiggins face formidable competition for the top men's prize as they go up against Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, American swimmer Michael Phelps, Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi and German Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel.


In the women's category Ennis faces equally tough competition from American sprinter Allyson Felix, American swimmer Missy Franklin, American tennis player Serena Williams, Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and American alpine skier Lindsey Vonn.

In the breakthrough category, Murray faces French swimmer Yannick Agnel, American gymnast Gabby Douglas, Grenadian sprinter Kirani James, Brazilian footballer Neymar and Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen.

Meanwhile in the disability category, Weir faces Canadian wheelchair basketball player Patrick Anderson, Namibian athlete Johanna Benson, Brazilian swimmer Daniel Dias, Brazilian sprinter Alan Oliveira and Italian hand cyclist Alex Zanardi.

"David Weir is a phenomenal athlete," said Britain's 11-time Paralympic champion Tanni Grey-Thompson, who is also a Laureus World Sports Academy Member.

"To win four gold medals, from the 800 metres to the marathon, was superb.

"He has now won six golds and this is not the end of his career so there's plenty more to come from him."

The awards in Brazil will also see prizes given for Laureus World Team of the Year, Laureus World Comeback of the Year and Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year,

The event in Rio comes as Brazil prepares to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the city prepares to stage the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Last year's Laureus World Sports Awards were staged in London ahead of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympic with Rio set to host both the 2013 and 2014 Awards.

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