Laureus World Sportswoman of the year 2021: Here are all the nominees

The candidates for the Laureus World Sportswoman of the year have been released by Laureus, the worldwide sporting movement that honours the world's finest athletes. The nominees for 2022 were chosen by a panel of the worlds greatest sports journalists and symbolize the world's best in seven categories.

The nominees are Australian tennis star Ashleigh Barty, USA athlete Allyson Felix, Spanish footballer Alexia Putellas, Jamaican athlete Elaine Thompson-Herah, and two swimmers, Australian Emma McKeon and American Katie Ledecky.

1. Ashleigh Barty

Ashleigh Barty has received her maiden Laureus nomination, as she is in contention for the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award. In 2021, the Australian won her first Wimbledon title. Also, she won the Yarra Valley Classic, Miami Open, Stuttgart Open, and Cincinnati Open in the same year. Thus, reaffirming her position atop the WTA Rankings. Naomi Osaka, another tennis sensation, received the prize the year before. Nevertheless, Only time will tell if the Laureus award will feature on Barty's shelf alongside the Australian Open 2022.

Read also: Australian Open 2022: Ashleigh Barty brings back the glory

2. Allyson Felix

Allyson Felix received her nomination along with five golden athletics stars, for the prestigious Laureus Awards. She welcomed the nomination after earning her seventh Olympic gold medal in Tokyo, bringing her total Olympic medals to 11. Not only did the 36-year-old become the most accomplished track-and-field Olympian in US history, but she also became the Olympic champion in four straight tournaments.

3.Alexia Putellas

Alexia Putellas, the Barcelona midfielder, earned the nomination for the World Sportswoman of the Year Award. In 2021, she and her club had a wonderful season, dominating the tournament and winning the Champions League title for the first time in their existence. Nonetheless, If she wins, she would be the first footballer to get the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year title.

4.Elaine Thompson-Herah

Elaine Thompson-Herah has been nominated for Laureus Sportswoman of the Year alongside Felix. After earning three gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m in Tokyo, the 29-year-old Jamaican ruled the sprints. As a result, she shattered Florence Griffith Joyner's 33-year-old Olympic record. She also proceeded to win the sprint double-double, enabling her to be the first woman to accomplish so. She is, nevertheless, in contention for the honourable award, having won five Olympic gold medals.

Read also: Laureus World Breakthrough of the year 2021: Neeraj Chopra nominated from India

5.Emma Mckeon

The happiness of Australians appears to know no bounds, as a slew of Aussies received the nomination for the world's most prestigious sports awards.

In this category, the 27-year-old Australian freestyle virtuoso was included alongside fellow Aussie, Ashleigh Barty. At the Tokyo Olympics, she earned four gold medals and three bronze medals, matching gymnast Maria Gorokhovskaya for the most medals ever won by a woman in a single game. However, she is in the running for the honour, and her country's hopes are partly riding on her shoulders.

6.Katie Ledecky

Katie Ledecky, a distance swimmer, led the American women's swimming team to gold in the 800 and 1500 freestyles, as well as silver in the 400 free and 4200 free relays. After winning gold in both London and Rio, Ledecky accomplished a three-peat in the 800 metres. She also won the initial 1500 women's race at the Olympics. However, she is all set to dive into the pool of competition to win the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year title.

Read also: Laureus World Sportsman of the year 2021: Here’re all the nominees

Following a vote by the Laureus World Sports Academy, the announcement of the winners will take place in April.