Sports royalty descend on London for Laureus awards

Sporting royalty including Boris Becker and Bobby Charlton from the past will be rubbing shoulders with today's stars among them Usain Bolt and Vivian Cheruiyot at the 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards in London on Monday, February 6.

The Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognise sporting achievement, are the biggest  honours on the international sporting calendar and carry lots of credibility as current sporting greats are judged by their predecessors. It's like Albert Einstein judging a maths competition or Ludwig van Beethoven a music contest.

I hear that among those who have confirmed their attendance is boxing great Marvin 'Marvelous ' Hagler. The mesmerising pugilist was the undisputed World Middleweight Champion between 1980 and 1987. This was achieved when that weight division boasted two other great fighters in Roberto Durán (who moved up from light middle weight to challenge Hagler), Thomas 'The Hitman' Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard.

Many argue that Sugar Ray Leonard was the best fighter of that era in that weight division, but Hagler's reign as undisputed world champion, at six years and seven months, is the second longest of that century, behind only Tony Zale's seven-year reign in the 1940s.

The globally televised Awards ceremony will be staged at Central Hall, Westminster, in London and usually attracts Hollywood royalty as well.

Among the winners who have received Awards at previous Awards Ceremonies have been Jenson Button, Roger Federer, Sir Alex Ferguson, Lewis Hamilton, Justine Henin, Kelly Holmes, Rafael Nadal, Sir Steve Redgrave, Ronaldo, Michael Schumacher, Kelly Slater, Serena Williams and Zinedine Zidane.

Celebrities attending the Awards Ceremony have included David and Victoria Beckham, Sean Connery, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Morgan Freeman, Teri Hatcher, Eva Longoria, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin Spacey.

Nominees for the 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards are:

Laureus World Sportsman of the Year

Usain Bolt (Jamaica, Athletics), Novak Djokovic (Serbia, Tennis), Cadel Evans (Australia, Cycling), Lionel Messi (Argentina, Football), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany, Basketball), Sebastian Vettel (Germany, Motor Racing)

Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya, Athletics), Maria Höfl-Riesch (Germany, Alpine Skiing), Carmelita Jeter (US, Athletics), Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic, Tennis), Homare Sawa (Japan, Football), Yani Tseng (Taiwan, Golf)

Laureus World Team of the Year

All Blacks (N.Zealand, Rugby), FC Barcelona (Spain, Football), Dallas Mavericks (US, Basketball), England Cricket Team (UK), Japan Women’s Football Team, Red Bull (Austria, Motor Racing)

Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year

Yohan Blake (Jamaica, Athletics), Mo Farah (UK, Athletics), Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic, Tennis), Rory McIlroy (UK, Golf), Li Na (China, Tennis), Oscar Pistorius (S.Africa, Athletics)

Laureus World Comeback of the Year

Eric Abidal (France, Football), Darren Clarke (UK, Golf), Crusaders (N.Zealand, Rugby), Sergio Garcia (Spain, Golf), Liu Xiang (China, Athletics), Queensland Reds (Australia, Rugby)

Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability

Daniel Dias (Brazil, Swimming), Terezinha Guilhermina (Brazil, Athletics), Oscar Pistorius (S.Africa, Athletics), Esther Vergeer (Netherlands, Wheelchair Tennis), David Weir (UK, Wheelchair Athletics), Irek Zaripov (Russia, Nordic Skiing)

Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year

Jamie Bestwick (UK, BMX), Philip Köster (Germany, Windsurfing), Carissa Moore (US, Surfing),

Travis Rice (US, Snowboarding, Kelly Slater (US, Surfing), Shaun White (US, Skateboarding/Snowboarding)