Hong Kong’s Leung Yuk-wing to join likes of Lionel Messi and Usain Bolt at Laureus Sports Awards

Hong Kong’s paralympics gold medallist Leung Yuk-wing has been nominated for the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards for the second year in a row.

The boccia player, who won gold at Athens 2004, rose to world No.1 in the individual BC4 category, helping Hong Kong to do the same in pairs.

Leung has finished in the medals in all four boccia World Opens in which he has competed, in the bowls-like sport.

In 2014 he was World Champion and Asian Games gold medallist, while last year he won two gold medals and a bronze medal at the BISFed World Open in Korea and Colombia

Two thousand journalists vote for nominees in seven categories at the annual awards.

“I am pleased and honoured to be nominated for the second time,” said Leung. “I want to thank BISFed (Boccia International University Sports Federation) on my nomination, also want to thank the Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Disabled , coaches and teammates, without their help, I could not get such results and nomination.”

Among the big names who Leung will be joining at the ceremony in Berlin on April 18 are Usain Bolt, Steph Curry, Novak Djokovic, Lionel Messi and Serena Williams.

Nominees

LAUREUS WORLD SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD

Usain Bolt (Jamaica) Athletics – Won three sprint gold medals in World Championships in Beijing

Stephen Curry (US) Basketball – Led Golden State Warriors to NBA championship, named NBA MVP

Novak Djokovic (Serbia) Tennis – World No.1, won three Grand Slams and was finalist in French Open

Lewis Hamilton (UK) Motor Racing – Won third career and second straight Formula One world title

Lionel Messi (Argentina) Football – Star of the FC Barcelona team, won record fifth Ballon d’Or

Jordan Spieth (US) Golf – At 21, won The Masters and the US Open and became world No.1

LAUREUS WORLD SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD

Genzebe Dibaba (Ethiopia) Athletics – IAAF Athlete of Year, won 1,500m world title in Beijing

Anna Fenninger (Austria) Skiing – Won two World Championship gold medals and second World Cup

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica) Athletics – Won second straight and third career 100m world title

Katie Ledecky (US) Swimming – Won five gold medals at World Championships in Kazan

Carli Lloyd (US) Football – Scored three goals to win Women’s World Cup final, also won Golden Ball

Serena Williams (US) Tennis – World No.1, won Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon

LAUREUS WORLD TEAM OF THE YEAR AWARD

All Blacks (New Zealand) Rugby – Won second straight Rugby World Cup, their third in total

FC Barcelona (Spain) Football – Won fifth Champions League, also won La Liga and Copa del Rey

Golden State Warriors (US) Basketball – Beat LeBron James’ Cleveland to win the NBA Finals

Great Britain Davis Cup Team (Tennis) – Led by Andy Murray, won Davis Cup for first time since 1936

Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team (Germany) – Second Constructors’ World Championship

US Women’s Football Team – Won Women’s World Cup for third time, beating Japan 5-2 in the final

LAUREUS WORLD BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR AWARD

Chile Men’s Football Team - Won their first ever Copa America, beating Argentina in the final

Jason Day (Australia) Golf – Won first Major Championship at USPGA, plus four other US Tour events

Tyson Fury (UK) Boxing - Beat Wladimir Klitschko to become unified world heavyweight champion

Adam Peaty (UK) Swimming – At 20, won three gold medals at World Championships in Kazan

Jordan Spieth (US) Golf – At 21, won The Masters and the US Open and became world No.1

Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Motor Racing – Youngest Formula One driver at 17 years 166 days

LAUREUS WORLD COMEBACK OF THE YEAR AWARD

Dan Carter (New Zealand) Rugby - Named World Rugby Player of Year after All Blacks’ World Cup win

Jessica Ennis-Hill (UK) Athletics – Won heptathlon world title after injury and a year after giving birth to son

Mick Fanning (Australia) Surfing – Returned to the surf six days after a shark attack in South Africa

Michael Phelps (US) Swimmer – Won three titles at US Championships after returning to swimming

David Rudisha (Kenya) Athletics – After three years fighting injury, returned to track to win 800m world title

Lindsey Vonn (US) Skiing - After missing Olympics, returned to win 7th Downhill and 5th Super G World Cups

LAUREUS WORLD SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR WITH A DISABILITY

Marie Bochet (France) Skiing – First to win all five events atback-to-back World Championships

Liu Cuiqing (China) Athletics - Won fourwomen’sT11 titlesat herfirstWorldChampionships

Daniel Dias (Brazil) Swimming – Won seven golds and one silver medal at World Championships

Omara Durand (Cuba) Athletics – Broke 100m world record to become fastestfemaleParalympian

Pieter Du Preez(S.Africa) Athletics, Cycling – Wonworld titles and achieved No.1statusin two sports

Leung YukWing(China Hong Kong) Boccia – Won medalsinallfourWorldOpen competitions

LAUREUS WORLD ACTION SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD

Rachel Atherton (UK) Mountain Biking – After illness came back to win fourth Overall World Cup

Bob Burnquist (Brazil) Skateboard – Won Big Air and Big Air Doubles to reach 29 X-Games medals

Adriano de Souza (Brazil) Surfing - At 28, he won his first World Surfing Championship

Mick Fanning (Australia) Surfing – Despite shark attack in S.Africa, finished second on world tour

Jan Frodeno (Germany) Ironman Triathlon – First to win Ironman world title and Olympic triathlon gold

Chloe Kim (US) Snowboarding - At 14, became youngest athlete to win a Winter X Games gold medal