Bolt and Ennis take top prizes at 2013 Laureus World Sports Awards

By Tom Degun at the Theatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro

March 11 - Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt and British heptathlete Jessica Ennis claimed the top male and female prizes respectively at the 2013 Laureus World Sports Awards at a glittering ceremony here tonight.

At the premier sports awards on the planet, Bolt took the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year following a stunning display at the London 2012 Olympic Games where the 26-year-old from Trelawny won gold medals in the 100 and 200 metres as well as the 4x100m relay to repeat his triple gold medal winning feat from Beijing 2008.

It means Bolt picks up the award for the third time, having claimed it in both 2009 and 2010, meaning he now won it more times than any other athletes with the exception of Swiss tennis star Roger Federer, who has lifted it four times.

Ennis took the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year for the first time after winning a spectacular gold medal in the London 2012 heptathlon competition.

It means that the 27-year-old from Sheffield becomes only the second British female to claim the prize after middle distance star Kelly Holmes took the award in 2005.

There was further British success as tennis star Andy Murray won the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year after Olympic gold in the men's singles and silver in the mixed doubles at London 2012 before then winning his first ever Grand Slam title with victory at the US Open.

Usain Bolt with Laureus Award Rio March 11 2013

Usain Bolt claimed the Laureus Sportsman of the Year Award for a third time

The Laureus World Team of the Year went to the European Ryder Cup Team captained by Spain's José María Olazábal after they sensationally came back from eight points down against the United States to win 14½–13½ in what has been dubbed the "Miracle at Medinah".

Laureus World Comeback of the Year went to 400m hurdler Félix Sánchez of the Dominican Republic, who won a stunning gold medal at London 2012 at the age of 34 eight years after his first Olympic gold at Athens 2004 to become the oldest ever winner of the event.

Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability went to Brazilian swimmer Daniel Dias, who won six gold medals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year went to Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner, who became the first human to go through the sound barrier when he made the highest ever free-fall from 24 miles over New Mexico in October last year.

There were also two special additional awards at the event this year.

The Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award went to London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe for leading the successful delivery of the Olympics and Paralympics while Michael Phelps received newly created Laureus Academy Exceptional Achievement Award after the American swimmer became the most decorated Olympian of all time at the Games.

Coe, who is also a Laureus World Sports Academy Member, received huge plaudits for helping London stage one of the greatest Games in history while Phelps won four golds and two silvers at the Games to take his overall Olympic medal haul to 22 medals, 18 of which were gold.

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