A look at players nominated for Laureus World Comeback of Year Award 2025 ft. Rishabh Pant

This year marks a special milestone as it will be the 25th edition of the event.

Laureus World Sports Awards have announced the nominees to honor incredible Individual and team performances from the sports world. Initiated at the start of this century, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation has been conducting an annual ceremony to recognise tremendous contributions in various sports across the globe.

This year marks a special milestone as it will be the 25th edition of the event and will be held in Madrid. The Prestigious honours will have seven primary categories and a few discretionary awards. Apart from Best Sportsperson or Team, the organisation awards a sportsperson/team who has overcome adversity and illness to achieve greatness under the Comeback of the Year award.

Also Read: A look at players nominated for Laureus World Sportsman of Year Award 2025

A panel of former players, broadcasters, sports writers, and editors from over 100 countries vote to nominate six players in each category. It is a special year for the Indians as an Indian has been nominated for the Comeback of the Year award. Let’s look at the list of players who have been nominated for the Laureus World Comeback of Year Award 2025.

6. Rebecca Andrade – Gymnastics

Rebecca Andrade is an inspirational story that has been spoken about a lot in Brazil and across the world. The Gymnast suffered from multiple Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries, which threatened her career. There were multiple complications due to COVID-19, and there were questions about her ability to perform at the highest level.

She was asked to defend it in Paris after winning Gold at the Tokyo Olympics at the age of 22. She took the task head-on and had a rigorous struggle against injuries to compete at the Paris Olympics. She went on to win the gold medal in Paris, and icing on the cake was when she walked out for the medal ceremony. Her fellow medalists, Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles, paid their respects. Coincidentally, it was Simone who won the Laureus Comeback of the Year award last year.

5. Caeleb Dressel – Swimming

Swimming and the United States of America seem to have become synonymous in the last few decades as the nation has given multiple champions to the sport. Even the National trials make people feel like an Olympic race as such is the competitiveness in Swimming team. Caeleb Dressel was one of those talents who rose to the occasion, winning five Gold medals to add to his two from Rio 2016.

Everything looked fine until the 2022 World Championships, when he had to withdraw from the 100m freestyle finals despite clocking the second-fastest time. He had to withdraw due to health reasons and suffered mental issues. Doubts crept in if he could compete against the talent pool. He had to fight his inner self to contribute to the USA winning two golds and a Silver in relays, showing resilience can save mental health.

4. Lara Gut-Behrami – Alphine Skiing

Probably one of the greatest skiers of all time, Lara Gut-Behrami has ascended multiple mountains to achieve greatness in Skiing. She took up the sport at the tender age of 15 and made her World Cup debut at just 16. She won several world championships and World Cup races. She faced a hindrance at the Olympics and had to settle for a bronze medal in 2014.

Just when she had her eyes on the 2018 Winter Olympics, she suffered an ACL tear with meniscus damage in her left knee during a warm-up session in the 2017 World Championships. It not only ended her season but also her 2018 Olympics dream. The Swiss fought her way back to fitness in 2021 and won the Gold in the Super-G at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, making her one of the strong contenders for the award.

Also Read: Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award: List of all winners

3. Marc Marquez – Motor Cycling

Marc Marquez is not new to the Laureus Awards as he was awarded the Breakthrough of the Year award in 2014, having become the youngest rider to win the premier class title at just 20 years and 266 days. Ironically, it was his debut season, and there hasn’t been any looking back for the Spainard as he went on to become only the fourth rider to win World Championships in three different categories.

Motorbikes were his go-to tool to greatness, but an accident in the 2020 season opener broke his right arm. Doctors suggested that he might not drive races again. But the champion in him fought back to start driving next season. He hasn’t won the World Championships since then, but the 32-year-old is determined to get one. He has started this season well, winning the first race, and would like to continue in the subsequent races.

2. Ariarne Titmus – Swimming

Making her Olympic debut in Tokyo 2020, Ariarne Titmus won four Gold Medals, which included beating the legendary Katie Ledecky and snatching her position at the top. The Australian was breaking world records and was threatening to take away Ledecky’s legendary status with her form before a shocker struck in her life. When she was recuperating from a hip injury, Doctors discovered an unusual growth in her Right ovary. It was shattering for the 24-year-old as her biggest life dream of becoming a mother was now under threat.

She had to undergo surgery with a risk of her ovary being completely removed as well. It was a mental trauma, and thanks to the doctors’ effort, the surgery was successful. In less than six months, she had to prepare to defend her title against the legendary Ledecky and a teenager Summer McIntosh, who broke Titmus’ world records when she was under treatment. The Australian successfully defended his title in the 400m freestyle event.

Also Read: Full list of Indian athletes nominated for Laureus World Sports Awards

1. Rishabh Pant – Cricket

Rishabh Pant dominated the cricketing world, leading India to a historic Test win at the Gabba in 2021. He also found success in other formats, becoming the second-youngest player to lead India in T20Is and scoring his maiden ODI century in England. But in the early hours of 30 December 2022, India woke up to the horrific car crash on the Delhi- Dehradun Expressway. His car caught fire after it collided with the central divider on the road.

He was pulled out of the car by Rajat Kumar and Nishu Kumar, who saw the accident. He was taken to the nearby Hospital, and initial diagnosis showed multiple injuries in his body with a ligament tear in his right knee. The entire India and the cricketing world was praying for his recovery, with no one thinking about him returning to the field of play.

Also Read: Rishabh Pant captaincy record in IPL

All three ligaments in his right knee have to be reconstructed as his bone was visible when he was brought to the hospital. He was out of action for 16 months before returning to action in the 2024 Indian Premier League. He was named in the India Squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, and he helped them lift the World Cup after 17 years. It was a journey no one should undergo even in their wildest dreams, and the cricketing world is happy that Rishabh is back on the field and could be the right candidate for the award.

Vinesh Phogat and Neeraj Chopra were two Indians who were nominated for the Laureus awards, but both couldn’t win them. Sachin Tendulkar was awarded the Laureus Sporting Moment Award 2000- 2020 for the iconic moment when he was carried on the shoulders after winning the 2011 World Cup under MS Dhoni’s captaincy. India and Pakistan cricket teams were awarded the Sports for Good Award in 2004 for forgetting their differences and competing on the field.

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