SHERWOOD NOMINATED | Bikesportnz

He’s beaten the world’s best freestyle motocross riders in Moscow and London and now he’s set to conquer the entire sporting world.

Brilliant young Palmerston North freestyle motocross rider Levi Sherwood has been nominated for the Laureus World Sports Awards, following a ballot by the world’s media.

Sherwood, rehabilitating from a broken femur, is poised to become the shooting star of international freestyle motocross.

At just 18 years of age, he won two of the classic events on the Red Bull X-Fighters Tour last year, in Moscow and London, and seems set for a remarkable career.

In Moscow’s Red Square in June, he fought off strong opposition from world champion Nate Adams to win. Six weeks later in the grounds of London’s Battersea Power Station, he kept a cool head in front of 30,000 fans as he threw down huge trick after huge trick to beat Adams again.

In his first X Games appearance in July, Sherwood won the silver medal.

The Laureus awards are voted on by 46 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen and will be unveiled at a televised awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi on Monday, February 7.

Also nominated with Sherwood for the Laureus world action sportsperson of the year are the All Blacks rugby team, the world’s two top surfers, Australia’s Stephanie Gilmore and American Kelly Slater, Britain’s BMX star Jamie Bestwick, Spanish windsurfer Victor Fernandez and American snowboarder Shaun White. The All Blacks were also shortlisted in 2006 and 2007.

Also nominated for their team-of-the-year award are the Spain World Cup football (soccer) team, Champions League football winners Inter Milan, the European Ryder Cup golf team, NBA basketball winners the Los Angeles Lakers and the Red Bull Formula One team.

FINALISTS LIST

Sportsman of the Year

Kobe Bryant (US) Basketball

Andres Iniesta (Spain) Soccer

Lionel Messi (Argentina) Soccer

Rafael Nadal (Spain) Tennis

Manny Pacquiao (Philippines) Boxing

Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Motor Racing

Sportswoman of the Year

Kim Clijsters (Belgium) Tennis

Jessica Ennis (UK) Athletics

Blanka Vlasic (Croatia) Athletics

Lindsey Vonn (US) Alpine Skiing

Serena Williams (US) Tennis

Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) Tennis

Team of the Year

All Blacks (New Zealand) – Rugby

European Ryder Cup Team – Golf

Inter Milan (Italy) – Soccer

Los Angeles Lakers (US) – Basketball

Red Bull Formula One Team (Austria)

Spain World Cup Team – Soccer

Breakthrough of the Year

Martin Kaymer (Germany) Golf

Christophe Lemaitre (France) Athletics

Matteo Manassero (Italy) Golf

Thomas Müller (Germany) Football

Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) Golf

Teddy Tamgho (France) Athletics

Comeback of the Year

Paula Creamer (US) Golf

Tyson Gay (US) Athletics

Justine Henin (Belgium) Tennis

Carolina Kluft (Sweden) Athletics

Merlene Ottey (Slovenia) Athletics

Valentino Rossi (Italy) Motor Cycling

Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability

Verena Bentele (Germany) Skiing/Biathlon

Matt Cowdrey (Australia) Swimming

Daniel Dias (Brazil) Swimming

Jakub Krako (Slovakia) Alpine Skiing

Esther Vergeer (Netherlands) Wheelchair Tennis

Lauren Woolstencroft (Canada) Alpine Skiing

Action Sportsperson of the Year

Jamie Bestwick (UK) BMX

Victor Fernandez (Spain) Windsurfing

Stephanie Gilmore (Australia) Surfing

Levi Sherwood (New Zealand) Freestyle Motocross

Kelly Slater (US) Surfing

Shaun White (US) Snowboarding

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