While Indian fans may have been hoping to see Rishabh Pant secure global recognition for his extraordinary return to the cricket field, the prestigious Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award for 2025 went to another inspiring athlete — Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade. Her story of grit, resilience, and redemption captivated the world, earning her one of the most respected honors in sports.
Andrade’s Emotional Journey Back to Glory
Following some of the most devastating blows, with almost three ACL injuries yet another setback to her career, Rebeca made a stunning return to the sport at the Paris Olympics. The floor exercise win earned her a gold medal and made for a moment in Olympic history that will never be forgotten when Simone Biles gracefully bowed to Andrade in admiration on the podium.
Recalling her long and painful road to recovery, Andrade shared heartfelt words after receiving the award:
“This beautiful Laureus Statuette represents a huge amount of hard work, of struggle and pain, and also great happiness and one of my most cherished memories – standing on top of the Olympic podium again.”
A Victory That Transcends Sport
The 2025 Laureus Awards, marking 25 years of celebrating the power of sport, chose to honor Andrade’s comeback as one that defines resilience. In doing so, she joins a select group of athletes like Ronaldo and Simone Biles — both of whom previously earned the same recognition.
“In the 25-year history of these Awards that have become the ultimate prize for athletes, these stories of resilience have inspired generations of young people,” Andrade said. “Simone and I are the only two gymnasts to win a Laureus Award and I hope our stories can inspire anyone who has experienced injuries and setbacks to keep fighting through the many obstacles placed in front of them on the long road to recovery.”
The Spirit of Sportsmanship in Paris
One of the most powerful messages Andrade shared was about the sense of community in competitive sport — something that was on full display in Paris:
“Individual sports can be isolating, but Paris showed that camaraderie can exist between competitors, and I was so proud to compete alongside last year’s winner of this Award, Simone Biles.”
While Rishabh Pant’s journey back to cricket remains equally awe-inspiring and deserves global applause, the 2025 Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award was a tribute to the courage and determination of Rebeca Andrade.
Full List of Laureus World Sports Awards 2025 Winners:
- Sportsman of the Year: Mondo Duplantis
- Sportswoman of the Year: Simone Biles
- Team of the Year: Real Madrid
- Breakthrough of the Year: Lamine Yamal
- Comeback of the Year: Rebeca Andrade
- Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Jiang Yuyan
- Action Sportsperson of the Year: Tom Pidcock
- Sport for Good Award: Kick4Life
- Sporting Icon Award: Rafael Nadal
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Kelly Slater