Aussie teen Arisa Trew joins Novak Djokovic and Jude Bellingham by winning one of the world’s most prestigious sports awards
- Arisa Trew, 14 years old, named action sportsperson of the year
- Gold Coast Youngster is the first female skater to land a 720
- Trew was the only Australian honored at the ceremony
Arisa Trew, a 14-year-old skateboarding sensation with her eyes on the Olympics, has become the only Australian to be honored at the world’s biggest sporting gala.
While Novak Djokovic and Aitana Bonmati were honored as world sportsman and sportswoman of the year at the Laureus Awards on Monday (Tuesday AEST), the Gold Coast youngster was thrilled to be named action sportsperson of the year at the lavish ceremony in Madrid.
Trew was honored last year at the age of 13 for her groundbreaking achievement, when she became the first female skater to land a 720 – two full rotations in the air – in competition.
She performed the iconic maneuver, first performed by the great Tony Hawk in 1985 at the American great’s own event – and he was there to cheer Trew on as she made history.
Australian teenager Arisa Trew (photo) has been named action sportsperson of the year
Trew (pictured on the red carpet at the Laureus Awards in Madrid) became the first female skater ever to land a 720 in 2023 at the age of just 13
The young Queenslander subsequently became the first woman in X Games history to win the park and vert ‘double’ and is now firmly on course to wear the green and gold at the Paris Olympics later this year.
“It’s a really big achievement for me because I didn’t really think I would be here,” Trew said, after impressing on Monday by arriving on the red carpet at the ceremony with her skateboard.
Other stars of the show included Women’s World Cup winner Bonmati, recognized as the outstanding player in Spain’s 2023 tournament victory in Australia.
She also accepted the Team of the Year award on behalf of her colleagues.
Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady presented Djokovic with his fifth Laureus award ahead of the world No. 1 tennis player’s landmark 2023 season.
The Serbian equaled Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam titles with victories at the Australian, French and US Opens, and also reached the Wimbledon final.
Gymnast Simone Biles won the comeback of the year after her four gold medals at last year’s world championships, her first international event since competing in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Trew is on course to wear green and gold at the Paris Olympics later this year
The Gold Coast youngster was the only Australian to be honored at the world’s biggest sporting awards gala
England midfielder Jude Bellingham was the winner of the World Breakthrough of the Year after his stellar season with Real Madrid – the first footballer to receive this accolade.
The nominees for the Laureus Awards were selected by media around the world, with the winners determined by the 69 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy.
They have been presented since 2000.
List of winners:
World Sportswoman of the Year: Aitana Bonmati
World Sportsman of the Year: Novak Djokovic
World Team of the Year: Spanish women’s football team
World Breakthrough of the Year: Jude Bellingham
World comeback of the year: Simone Biles
World athlete of the year with a disability: Diede de Groot
World Action Athlete of the Year: Arisa Trew
Laureus Sport for Good: Rafa Nadal Foundation