The Free State springing sensation is one of six nominees for the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year Award.

The other nominees include the Ethiopian long distance runner, Alamaz Ayana, the Fijian Sewes Rugby team, the Iceland National football team, the English Premiership football champions, Leicester City and the Formula 1 driver, Nico Rosberg.

Last year Van Niekerk won the 400m gold at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in a world record time of 43.03 seconds.

Ayana in her turn also won gold in Rio by smashing the women’s 10 000m record by 14 seconds.

Fiji won the HSBC Sevens World Series then won the Rio gold for the countries first even Olympic medal.

Iceland stole the hearts of football fans globally during Euro 2016 while it was a fairy tale for The Foxes as they won the English Premier League.

Rosberg claimed his first Formula 1 world title.

The 2017 Laureus Awards will be held on 14 February in Monaco.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport