KEY POINTS:
BARCELONA - Tennis number one Roger Federer was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for the third year in a row last night.
The Italian football side, World Cup winners, edged out the All Blacks for the team of the year award.
The 25-year-old Swiss tennis player
became the first sportsman to receive the award on three occasions, making off with it once again for his continued domination of men's tennis in 2006.
Russia's record-breaking pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva won the award for World Sportswoman of the Year.
Tennis was the big winner at the awards ceremony with American Serena Williams taking the comeback of the year award and the breakthrough prize going to fellow tennis player Amelie Mauresmo of France following her first two grand slam titles.
Barcelona Football Club were given the Spirit of Sport award for their support of UNICEF and former Germany captain Franz Beckenbauer, who led his side to victory in the 1974 World Cup and was involved in organizing the 2006 tournament, took the lifetime achievement award.
Federer, who has finished as world number one in each of the three years he has won the award and chalked up three grand slam titles for the second time in three years, was unable to attend the ceremony. His award was picked up by German former world number one and six times grand slam winner Boris Becker.
His triumphs at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open were accompanied by victories in four ATP Masters Series events for the second successive season.
Federer, whose victory in the 2007 Australian Open took his grand slam tally to 10, was also the first player since the Open era began in 1968 to win at least 10 titles in three consecutive years.
The Swiss player's 41-match winning streak going back to August 2006 was ended by Guillermo Canas at Indian Wells last month and the Argentine inflicted another defeat on the world number one in Miami last week.
Isinbayeva, who broke her 20th pole vault world record when she set a new indoor mark of 4.93 meters in February, said she was delighted to be given recognition for her achievements after three nominations for the award.
"I've been so disappointed for the last two years because I was sure I would win, but this time I've done it," said the 24-year-old Olympic champion. "Winning it was always a dream of mine and now this dream has come true."
German mono-skier Martin Braxenthaler took the award for the sportsperson with a disability after winning gold medals in three of the four Alpine skiing disciplines at the Paralympic Winter Games in Turin.
American surfer Kelly Slater was named action sportsperson of the year after becoming world champion for a record eighth time and Briton Luke Dowdney was given the Sport for Good award for founding a boxing project for young people in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.
AWARDS
Sportsman of the Year
Roger Federer, Switzerland, tennis
Sportswoman of the Year
Yelena Isinbayeva, Russia, pole vault
Team of the Year
Italy soccer team
Comeback of the Year
Serena Williams, US, tennis
Breakthrough of the Year
Amelie Mauresmo, France, tennis
Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability
Martin Braxenthaler, Germany, skiing
Action Sportsperson of the Year
Kelly Slater, US, surfing
Special Awards:
Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award
Franz Beckenbauer, Germany, soccer
Laureus Spirit of Sport Award
Barcelona soccer club, Spain
Laureus Sport for Good Award
Duke Dowdney, Britain
- REUTERS