The highly successful Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games have provided five of the winners of the 2009 Laureus World Sports Awards. Jamaica's Usain Bolt was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year after his remarkable sprint treble in Beijing, Russian pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva has won the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award for the second time in three years, Britain's double gold medal swimmer Rebecca Adlington has been presented with the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year Award, while the China Olympic Team has won the Laureus World Team of the Year after topping the Beijing medals table.
The prestigious Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award went to Brazilian swimmer Daniel Dias who won nine medals in the pool at the Paralympic Games in Beijing in September.
Away from the Olympics and Paralympics, boxer Vitali Klitschko was presented with the Laureus Comeback of the Year Award after regaining the WBC World Heayweight Championship for the second time, while American surfer Kelly Slater won the Laureus Action Sports Award after winning the World Surfing Championship for a record ninth time.