That the Olympics are the ultimate test of human endurance, skill and sporting spirit was once again eloquent when the Laureus World Sports Awards were declared in Monaco.

Sprint king Usain Bolt of Jamaica won a record fourth Laureus Sportsman of the year award while US Gymnast Simone Biles won the women’s version of the sports Oscars in a glittering ceremony hosted by British actor Hugh Grant.

I asked Michael Johnson, ‘why did you retire when you were on top?’. He said – he had done everything he had wanted to do in athletics so there was no reason to stay in the sport. Now I understand what he means.

I am speechless, its an honour to receive this award from Nadia Comaneci who I looked up to for so many years. This award isn’t only for me but also for all the other nominees in my category.

The Laureus awards gala was returning to Monaco after a gap of 17 years. The first edition was held in the principality in 2000. Prince Albert and Princess Charlene were the chief guests on a night when a galaxy of stars lit up the wind-swept French Riviera off the Mediterranean.

Laureus World Sports Awards not only brought together the sporting legends — past, present and future — on the planet earth, but feted the Olympic Refugee Team, the athletes of which conquered odds in their strife-torn nations to compete in Rio 2016.

Laureus also reserved an award for the Sportsperson of the Year with a disability. This year, it was won by Italian Beatrice Vio, the only quadruple amputee in international wheelchair fencing.

Beatrice, who won gold in the Rio Paralympics, got the loudest cheer in a packed hall at the Salle des Etoiles Sporting Monte Carlo, the venue of the awards.

While Phelps, the greatest Olympian swimmer of all times, won the Comeback of the Year Award, Nico Rosberg the reigning World Formula One Champion  won the Breakthough of the Year Award. Rosberg lives in Monaco and has a hat-trick of F1 race wins in Monte Carlo.

The award ceremony was just perfectly planned. Bolt, who equalled Roger Federer with his fourth Laureus trophy, was presented his silverware by former Olympic and world champion Michael Johnson. Biles got her trophy from the best-known gymnast in history, Nadia Comaneci.

Bolt, who will never be seen in an Olympics again, had a telling message for youngsters. The showman, who did his signature ‘thunderbolt’ pose during a group photo with other winners, said:

“Anything is possible. Never thought I will win this (Rio) gold…work hard and keep pushing.”

In the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, a nominee alongside Bolt, football got its share of the spotlight when Leicester City were given a special Spirit of Sport award for their stunning Premier League win last season as 5,000-1 outsiders. The award was presented to Leicester manager Claudio Rannieri by former England boss Fabio Capello.

There was lot of wine, music and cheer. With their wives in tow, the Phelps, Rosbergs and Coulthards partied into the wee hours. Another edition of the Laureus awards thus came to a grand finish.

Sprint legend Usain Bolt and football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo were nominated but his great rival Lionel Messi missed out on the shortlist for the Laureus World Sports Awards on Wednesday.

Nominees for the World Sports Awards include Rio Olympic heroes Bolt, already a three-time Laureus winner, 5000 and 10,000 metre champion Mo Farah, tennis gold medal winner Andy Murray, Ronaldo and basketball duo Stephen Curry and LeBron James.

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The sportspersons were nominated for the prestigious award following a ballot by the world’s media, according to a release.

Ronaldo was nominated for three awards, individual and through his teams Portugal and Real Madrid.

Olympians fill all six nominations for the World Sportsman of the Year Award, including Americans Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky and Allyson Felix, German tennis No.1 Angelique Kerber, Jamaican sprint star Elaine Thompson and British cyclist Laura Kenny.

Swimmer Michael Phelps, the most successful Olympian ever with 28 medals inclusive of 23 golds, heads the nominees in the Laureus World Comeback of the Year category, after winning another five golds and a silver medal in Rio.

Others selected for this award are Spain’s high jumper Ruth Beitia, Argentina’s Davis Cup winner Juan Martin del Potro, British show jumper Nick Skelton, Mauritius triathlete Fabienne St Louis and Norwegian skier Aksel Lund Svindal.

Formula One’s Mercedes AMG Petronas are nominated for the third straight year for the Laureus World Team of the Year Award, along with three football teams; Euro 2016 champions Portugal, Champions League winners Real Madrid and Olympic gold medal winners Brazil. American teams Chicago Cubs, winner of their first baseball World Series for 108 years, and National Basketball Association (NBA) champions Cleveland Cavaliers were also shortlisted.

Driver Nico Rosberg, who won the Formula One World Championship last year and subsequently retired, has earned a nomination for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award. Joining him are Olympic world record breaking long distance runners Almaz Ayana and Wayde van Niekerk, English Premier League Champions Leicester City, Euro 2016 quarter-finalists Iceland and Olympic Rugby Sevens gold medal winners Fiji.

The Rio Paralympic Games provide all six nominees for the World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award — Swimmers Ihar Boki from Belarus and New Zealand’s Sophie Pascoe; visually impaired Cuban sprinter Omara Durand, Iran weightlifter Siamand Rahman, Swiss wheelchair racer Marcel Hug and Italian fencer Beatrice Vio.

The eventual winners, as voted for by members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, will be revealed in Monaco on February 14.

IANS