Brazilian athletes Rayssa Leal (skateboarding), Yago Dora (surfing), João Fonseca (tennis) and Gabriel Araújo, known as Gabrielzinho (Paralympic swimming), are among the nominees for the Laureus World Sports Awards — considered the Oscar of sports — in various categories.
The list, released on Tuesday (Mar. 3), highlights the top athletes of the 2025 season. The winners will be chosen by the Laureus Academy jury, composed of sports stars, including world record holders and Olympic champions. The trophies will be presented on April 20, in a ceremony in Madrid, Spain.
Last year, gymnast Rebeca Andrade won the Laureus Award in the “Comeback of the Year” category for her podium finishes at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games — gold on floor, silver in individual all-around and vault, and bronze in the team event — after overcoming a series of injuries.
Skateboarder Rayssa Leal, 18, is contending for the Laureus Award for the fourth time, nominated in the “Best Action Athlete” category. Last year, the Olympic medalist also won four titles in the Street League Skateboarding (SLS).
Yago Dora is also competing in the “Best Action Athlete” category. The surfer earned his first Laureus nomination after winning an unprecedented title on the world surfing circuit and finishing 2025 at the top of the world rankings.
Also debuting on the nominees list is 19-year-old tennis player João Fonseca, who will compete in the “Breakthrough of the Year” category. After starting 2025 as the world No. 145, the Brazilian rose 121 positions and ended the year among the top 24 players in the world. This meteoric rise followed titles at the ATP 250 in Buenos Aires and the ATP 500 in Basel, plus impressive victories over experienced players like Andrey Rublev (Russia), Hubert Hurkacz (Poland) and Denis Shapovalov (Canada).
Also making his debut on the Laureus nominations list, Paralympic multi-champion Gabriel Araújo (three golds in Paris 2024 and two in Tokyo 2020) is contending in the “Best Athlete with a Disability” category. In the last season, he won three World Para Swimming Championships in freestyle, S2 class (for athletes with physical-motor disabilities), in the 50m, 100m and 200m events.
Paralympic swimmer Daniel Dias is the most decorated Brazilian at the Laureus Awards. He won three trophies as “Best Paralympic Athlete of the Year”, in 2009, 2013 and 2016.
Source: Agência Brasil