Eileen Gu hails ‘really special’ win after being named action sportsperson of the year at Laureus World Sports Awards
- China’s double-Olympic gold medallist beats out likes of Chloe Kim and Rayssa Leal at prestigious awards in Paris
- Lionel Messi named top sportsman of the year, while sprinter Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce triumphs in sportswoman category
Eileen Gu added another piece of silverware to her already impressive collection at the Laureus World Sports Awards, and said it was “a huge honour” to be recognised for her achievements.
The 19-year-old was crowned action sportsperson of the year at a glittering ceremony in Paris on Monday night, where she rubbed shoulders with the world’s best athletes, including Lionel Messi, who was named sportsman of the year, and sprinter Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who topped the sportswoman category.
After becoming the first freestyle skier to win three medals at a single Olympics, Gu ended the World Cup season with a perfect record in women’s half-pipe, and was the first in her sport to win four consecutive events.
The two golds and one silver she claimed at the Beijing Winter Games helped the US-born teenager secure the Laureus award, which was voted on by 71 members of the organisation’s Sports Academy, who are some of the greatest sports men and women from the past 50 years.
“Something really beautiful about it, is that it’s an international panel and one that’s comprised of athletes of different sports,” Gu said. “Obviously [they are] all very successful in their own right, but who really do recognise not only the hard work but also the discipline, the effort and what it takes to perform under pressure in the moment that counts.
“I think that is something that only athletes can really empathise with and understand on a personal level, and being recognised by a panel who knows what that means is very meaningful to me.”
