MUHAMMAD Ali lived up to his billing as 'The Greatest' in an emotion-filled finale to the World Sports Awards of the Century. The boxing legend took to the stage to a standing ovation from a packed Vienna State Opera House as the climax to a glittering night of sporting nostalgia. Ali, struck down by Parkinson's Disease in recent years, walked up unaided to collect his award as Athlete of the Century in the Martial Arts category from famous heart surgeon Dr Christian Barnard. Then, in a barely audible whisper, the three-time former heavyweight champion of the world told the audience: 'I've won many championships and I've won many fights - but nothing as great as this.' Then, with onlookers roaring their approval, Ali raised his fists and shadow-boxed for a few seconds before turning to Barnard and chasing him from the stage in mock fighting pose. The curtain came down on a spectacular night with all the awards winners - a who's who of international sport - standing centre stage. Ali was the last to join them, returning to the stage escorted by Romanian gymnastics great Nadia Comaneci. He stood in the middle of the group, Australian swimming legend Dawn Fraser holding his right arm as nine-time Olympic champion athlete Carl Lewis stood to his left. Ali's party piece left the audience spellbound and capped an evening of tributes to sporting excellence in a ceremony broadcast live around the world. It was a night when even sporting legends admitted to being nervous. Pele, voted the century's best footballer, confessed: 'Thirty years ago I scored my 1,000th goal. It was a penalty, at the Maracana Stadium, in front of nearly 200,000 people. It was the only time I ever felt my legs shaking. But tonight is the second.' The Brazilian star said the most significant message to emerge from the evening was the importance of sport in uniting people. 'The most important thing about sport is that it brings people of all races, colour and nationality together. That is the greatest victory in sport,' he said. Eleven awards were handed out after the winners were selected by a jury chaired by International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch. Only two recipients were not present - male and female ball sports category winners Michael Jordan and Steffi Graf. The first sporting great to take the stage was four-time Formula One world champion Alain Prost of France, who was chosen as Athlete of the Century in motorsport. He thanked his rivals for helping push him to great heights and paid special tribute to his late arch-rival, Ayrton Senna, who was killed in a crash five years ago. 'Formula One is a very dangerous sport and on a night like this I cannot forget the friends I have lost,' he said. Comaneci, who made history with her perfect '10' marks at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, was voted the winner in the female athletics section. Lewis, who won golds at four different Olympic Games from 1984 to 1996, won the men's athletics category. The water sports awards both went to swimming stars - Australian Dawn Fraser capturing the women's trophy with the men's section being carried off by Mark Spitz, the American who won seven golds at the 1972 Olympics. The winter sports awards went to skiers Annemarie Moser-Proll of Austria and Jean-Claude Killy of France. Niall Donnelly in Vienna
