Kolisi, Springboks miss out on top Laureus Awards as Djokovic honoured for fifth time

Siya Kolisi and the Springboks missed out on their respective Laureus Awards at a glittering function in Madrid, Spain, on Monday evening.

Kolisi, who fought back from a severe knee injury to lead the Springboks to victory at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, was nominated in the Laureus World Comeback of the Year category alongside Sebastien Haller (football), Katrina Johnson-Thompson (athletics), Jamal Murray (basketball) and Markéta Vondroušová (tennis) and winner Simona Biles (gymnastics), who made a return to the sport after a break of two years. 

The other big winners on the night were Novak Djokovic (tennis), who won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award; Aitana Bonmatí (football), who claimed the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award; and Jude Bellingham (football), who was crowned as the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year.