Laureus World Sports Awards nominees include Ledecky, McLaughlin-Levrone, Jefferson-Wooden

U.S. Olympic gold medalists Katie Ledecky, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden are among the nominees for the Laureus World Sports Awards, which will be handed out at an April 20 event in Madrid.

Ledecky, McLaughlin-Levrone and Jefferson-Wooden were nominated for World Sportswoman of the Year for their 2025 accomplishments.

Ledecky won the 800m and 1500m freestyles at last August’s World Swimming Championships. In the 800m, she became the first swimmer to win a seventh world title in a single event. She ran her career world medals tally to 30, second only to Michael Phelps’ 33.

McLaughlin-Levrone won 400m and 4x400m relay gold at the World Track and Field Championships in September. In the 400m, she ran the second-fastest time in history, a 47.78 that was just off the 40-year-old world record of 47.60.

Jefferson-Wooden became the second woman to sweep 100m, 200m and 4x100m golds at worlds after Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in 2013.

The other World Sportswoman of the Year nominees are fellow track and field athlete Faith Kipyegon of Kenya, Spanish soccer player Aitana Bonmatí and tennis player Aryna Sabalenka.

Last year, gymnast Simone Biles won the award for a fourth time.

The Laureus World Sportsman of the Year nominees include three Olympians: Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis, who won the award last year, plus Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz and Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar.

Americans are also nominees for Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability (Para hockey player Kelsey DiClaudio), Action Sportsperson of the Year (snowboarder Chloe Kim) and Comeback of the Year (tennis player Amanda Anisimova).

Click here to read article