Six Paralympians shortlisted for Laureus Award

France’s Marie Bochet and the USA’s Tatyana McFadden - two athletes who will compete at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games - have been announced on a shortlist of six athletes for the prestigious 2014 Laureus Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award. 26 Feb 2014

Nominees for the 2014 Laureus Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award

Sarah Louise Rung, Tatyana McFadden, Sophie Pascoe, Marie Bochet, Olga Sviderska and Marcul Hug are shortlisted for the 2014 Laureus Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award

ⒸIPC

By IPC

The Laureus World Sports Awards recognise the top sporting achievements from 2013 calendar and the winners are voted for by the Laureus World Sports Academy.

The award recognises sporting achievements from 2013 and will be presented at a glittering awards ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 26 March 2014.

Between them, the six shortlisted athletes won 32 world titles during 2013 and are:

Marie Bochet (FRA)

Victorious in all five of her disciplines at the 2013 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships - downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super combined and super-G – the first woman ever to do so

Marcel Hug (SUI)

Dominated the T54 wheelchair racing class at the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France, winning five gold medals and one silver. He also won the New York City Marathon.

Tatyana McFadden (USA)

Became the first woman to win six athletics world titles at one event and made history by becoming the first athlete to complete a marathon Grand Slam with victories in Boston, London, Chicago and New York.

Sophie Pascoe (NZL)

At the 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships she won five gold medals in five events and set four world records. A month later she smashed two short course world records.

Sarah Louise Rung (NOR)

In the five events she competed in at the 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships in Montreal, Canada, she won four gold medals and a bronze.

Olga Sviderska (UKR)

Won every race she competed in at the 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships, claiming five individual golds and two relay golds. She also broke three world records and four European records.

The Laureus World Sports Awards recognise the top sporting achievements from 2013 calendar and the winners are voted for by the Laureus World Sports Academy, which is made up of 47 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time.

Laureus World Sports Academy Chairman Edwin Moses said: “I have never seen such a potentially close contest in so many categories before. This is going to be a classic year.

“I am especially thrilled by the line-up for the Disability Award, where you could make a case for any of the six to win. This is really the crème de la crème of sport and it is going to be an exciting night in Kuala Lumpur discovering which of these great athletes will receive Laureus Awards.”

The globally televised Awards Ceremony is attended by living legends of sport and world famous celebrities.

Previous winners have included:

• 2013 Daniel Dias (BRA) – Swimming

• 2012 Oscar Pistorius (RSA) – Athletics

• 2011 Verena Bentele (GER) – Nordic skiing

• 2010 Natalie Du Toit (RSA) – Swimming

• 2009 Daniel Dias (BRA) – Swimming

• 2008 Esther Vergeer (NED) – Wheelchair tennis