SA's Laureus good news story

Much of the attention from a South African perspective was focused on athletics superstar Wayde van Niekerk at the annual Laureus Sports Awards in Monte Carlo on Tuesday evening.

The Olympic and world 400 metre champion was nominated in the Breakthrough of the Year category, but lost out in the end to Formula One world champion Nico Rosberg.

But there was another good news story for South Africa, as the country was honoured for a 14th time on the Laureus podium.

Although Van Niekerk may have lost out to Rosberg in the Breakthrough of the Year category, there was a South African winner.

The local charity initiative Waves for Change, a social upliftment surfing programme based in the Western Cape,scooped the Sport for Good category…

Waves for Change, as per it's mission statement, provides safe spaces, access to caring adults, and provision of weekly ‘Surf Therapy Sessions’, to help young people from volatile backgrounds develop skills to regulate behaviour, build healing relationships, cope with stress and make positive life-choices.

HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco presented W4C with their award.

The Laureus Sport for Good Award is awarded to an organisation or individual who, in the opinion of the members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, has used the power of sport to overcome violence, discrimination or disadvantage. 

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt was named the Sportsman of the Year for a fourth time at the glittering awards ceremony in the Principality of Monaco.

Bolt won the award ahead of Mo Farah, Andy Murray, Cristiano Ronaldo, Stephen Curry and LeBron James.

Artistic gymnast Simone Biles won the Sportswoman of the Year, Michael Phelps was rewarded for his incredible Rio Olympic form with the Comeback of the Year award, while the Team of the Year went to the World Series winners, the Chicago Cubs.