Six Paralympians nominated for Laureus Award

Marcel Hug, Shingo Kunieda, Jetze Plat, Diede De Groot, Susana Rodriquez and Sarah Storey are amongst the nominees 02 Feb 2022
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Laureus 2022 nominees
Nominees announced for 2022 Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability
ⒸLaureus Awards 2022
By IPC I Laureus

Paralympic gold medallists Marcel Hug, Shingo Kunieda, Jetze Plat, Diede de Groot, Susana Rodriquez and Sarah Storey are amongst the nominees for the 2022 Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award.

Japan's Wheelchair Tennis’ player Kunieda won his fourth Paralympic gold medal at his home Games in Tokyo. He has also started the 2022 season on a high by winning his 11th Australian Open singles title beating Britain's Alfie Hewett.

Dutchwoman de Groot on the other hand has dominated Wheelchair Tennis since 2018 and last year, became the first tennis player to win a golden Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988. The Tokyo Paralympic gold medallist in the Wheelchair Tennis singles and doubles has also got her 2022 campaign off to the perfect start by defending her Australian Open singles and doubles titles.

Switzerland's Hug had been in a form of his life at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo and won four golds in Para Athletics – 800m, 1500m, 5000m and T54 Marathon.

Spain's Rodriquez has also had an unforgettable 2021. The Galician Para athlete, doctor and 'Time' cover girl has won gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympic Games in Para Triathlon women's PTVI and was the Triathlon World Champion in Abu Dhabi.

Storey, the British cyclist, was also at her best in her eighth Paralympic Games at Tokyo. She won three golds from three events to increase her career total at the Paralympic Games to 17. With that she also broke Mike Kenny's record and became Great Britain's most successful Paralympian.

The Netherlands' Plat was also in supreme form in both cycling and triathlon and ended up winning three golds in the two sports at Tokyo 2020.

World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Nominees:

  • Diede De Groot (Netherlands) Wheelchair Tennis
  • Marcel Hug (Switzerland) Para Athletics
  • Shingo Kunieda (Japan) Wheelchair Tennis
  • Jetze Plat (Netherlands) Para Cycling / Para Triathlon
  • Susana Rodríguez (Spain) Para Triathlon
  • Sarah Storey (UK) Para Cycling