Simone Biles, Kelly Slater, and Rafael Nadal Shine at the 25th Laureus World Sports Awards

Source: Laureus

Reported By: Matthew Kennedy

April 22nd, 2025 — As the glittering halls of Madrid’s Palacio de Cibeles filled with the world’s most celebrated athletes, the 25th anniversary of the Laureus World Sports Awards delivered a night as memorable as the legends it honored. Topping the roster of accolades, Simone Biles clinched her fourth Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award, joining Serena Williams in an elite circle of dominance. Meanwhile, surfing icon Kelly Slater received the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award, and tennis titan Rafael Nadal was honored as a Laureus Sporting Icon.

The evening reflected not just a celebration of peak athletic performance, but also the enduring spirit that defines greatness across generations and disciplines.

After returning from a nearly two-year hiatus, Simone Biles reasserted her place atop the gymnastics world with a dazzling "Redemption Tour" in 2024, capturing Olympic gold in the all-around, vault, and team events in Paris. In Madrid, she added another chapter to her astonishing legacy, accepting her fourth Sportswoman of the Year statuette—a milestone previously reached only by Serena Williams.

Biles' career has continually blurred the boundaries of what is physically possible, and her Laureus accolade cements her influence not only on her sport, but on the broader cultural landscape of resilience, excellence, and reinvention.

Receiving a standing ovation, Kelly Slater was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for a career that spanned more than three decades. As the youngest and oldest world champion in surfing history, Slater’s 11 titles defined an era. His influence extends beyond the waves, marking him as a four-time World Action Sportsperson of the Year and now a five-time Laureus honoree.

In an industry that demands constant evolution, Slater's career stands as a testament to longevity, reinvention, and unrelenting passion.

The Laureus Awards recognized brilliance across the global sporting spectrum. Among the major winners:

• Mondo Duplantis, the pole vault phenomenon, seized the Sportsman of the Year Award after a record-shattering 2024 season.

• Real Madrid captured the Team of the Year Award following another history-making year with their 15th Champions League and 36th La Liga titles.

• Rebeca Andrade, Brazil’s gymnastics sensation, earned the Comeback of the Year Award after rebounding from three ACL surgeries to capture gold on the floor in Paris.

• Jiang Yuyan was named Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability, with seven para-swimming golds and two world records at just 19 years old.

• Tom Pidcock claimed World Action Sportsperson of the Year honors after his gripping victory in Olympic mountain bike cross-country.

• Lamine Yamal, the teenage football prodigy who dazzled at Euro 24, won Breakthrough of the Year, further signaling the next generation’s rise.

Meanwhile, the Laureus Sport for Good Award went to Kick4Life, a pioneering organization using soccer to empower at-risk youth in Lesotho through health, education, and leadership programs

In one of the evening’s most moving moments, Rafael Nadal accepted the Sporting Icon Award after a stirring video tribute voiced by Morgan Freeman. Marking the close of one of tennis’s most storied careers, Nadal’s appearance underscored the profound emotional ties between athletes and the fans whose lives they touch.

For 25 years, the Laureus World Sports Awards have stood as a beacon, celebrating not only individual and team excellence but also the broader impact of sport as a catalyst for change. The 2025 ceremony embodied that spirit, blending athletic achievement with a commitment to community and resilience.

From Simone Biles’ unmatched artistry to Kelly Slater’s wave-riding immortality, and Rafael Nadal’s indomitable spirit, the Laureus Awards offered a sweeping tribute to the past, present, and future of sport—capturing the enduring beauty of human endeavor at its highest level.

For a full list of winners and highlights, visit www.laureus.com.