Laureus sports stars don their 'Sneakers for Good'
Novak Djokovic and Nico Rosberg led the way as the world's top athletes joined the Sneakers For Good campaign at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Berlin.
The
#SneakersforGood campaign is a way for some of the biggest names in sport –
including many of those nominated for tonight’s awards – to tell their stories
about how sport can change lives: both through the work of Laureus Sport For
Good and also the impact sport had on their own life.
Djokovic - nominated in the Sportsman of the Year category - hit social media before he joined the party, showing his support for the big message behind a glittering night of sporting celebration. And Germany's own Rosberg - nominated as part of the Mercedes F1 team and fresh from victory in Shanghai - had sneakers almost as dazzling as the flash bulbs popping all along a packed red carpet.
"It's a fun idea," said Rosberg. "Most of us seem to have gone for white ones. It's a fun way to get the message of Laureus out into the world."
Djokovic, who performed an acrobatic jump to show off his sneakers on the Red Carpet, said: “We’re here to celebrate Laureus and what they stand for. For 16 years they have done so much with Sport For Good. They have changed so many young lives for the better.”
The tuxedos - and some of the ballgowns - were finished off with a range of sneakers, from bright white to super-cool vintage.
Germany’s Jan Frodeno, the former Olympic triathlon champion and the 2015 world champion, had sneakers that told their own story – decorated with the dates of his big wins, a German flag and colours to reflect the three disciplines of the triathlon.
“Sport defines my everyday life,” said Frodeno. “My mood depends on the session I had in the morning. Thankfully I had a good one this morning in the swimming pool!”
The Laureus World Sports Awards supports Laureus Sport for Good by showcasing the incredible work it does to transform the lives of individuals and communities around the world by using the power of sport as a tool to combat challenging social issues.
Since its inception, Laureus Sport for Good has raised over €100 million and supported over 150 projects worldwide which use sport to tackle violence, discrimination and disadvantage.