Up until 26 February 2018, sports fans from around the world can choose the Laureus Best Sporting Moment of the Year 2017 in the final round of voting. The competition, initiated by Laureus and supported by Mercedes‑Benz, selects the most moving sporting moment of the year. Following the initial selection from a total of 30 candidates, there are now five in the final race. The winner will be announced at the Laureus World Sports Awards on 27 February 2018 in Monaco.
The Laureus Best Sporting Moment of the Year enters its second round in 2018. At the Laureus World Sports Awards in February 2017, for the first time the most moving sporting moment of the year chosen by sports fans around the world was selected. The aim of the campaign is to acknowledge especially touching, emotional moments aside from competitions, victories or defeats, and thus capture the interest of a wider public audience in the Laureus World Sports Awards. The Laureus Best Sporting Moment Award is the only award voted by the public and not by the Laureus World Sports Academy.
Honouring true sporting values
The focus is on sporting events that reflect the true values of sport such as fair play, team spirit, outstanding dedication or social commitment. Sports fans around the world can choose their favourite moment from a total of 30 sporting moments. To start off with, in each month between August and December 2017 the winner of the respective month was selected from the six candidates in each case. The five finalists now head into the final round of voting. Sports fans from around the globe can vote for their favourite’s right up until shortly before the Laureus World Sports Awards 2018. The winner will be announced and honoured at the show on 27 February in Monaco.
Huge amount of interest from sports fans worldwide
The reaction to the competition is simply astounding – around 222,000 votes were cast from August to December 2017. This level of interest demonstrates the power of sport to awaken real emotions and change the world. Mercedes‑Benz shares the true values of sport and feels closely connected with Laureus. Within the context of its commitment to society, Mercedes-Benz has been supporting the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation since 2000, and the partnership is the most important social commitment for the brand with the star.
The candidates
The last finalist was made known at the beginning of January: the Iowa Hawkeyes team won the December vote for the Best Sporting Moment of the Year 2017. The list of the five participants in the final round is now complete:
August’s winner: When tears turn into smiles – Ferrari fan Thomas Danel’s day takes a surprising turn when he meets his idol Kimi Räikkönen.
September’s winner: Billy Whizz is back – the 18‑year-old Formula 4 driver sustains a life-changing injury, but does not let it get him down.
October’s winner: Brave Bradley – the terminally ill six-year-old Bradley Lowery inspires football fans through his close bond with football star Jermain Defoe.
November’s winner: Eternal champions – the Chapecoense football team torn apart by a tragic plane crash inspires the world of football with their miraculous new beginning – in particular defender Alan Ruschel, who survived the crash.
December’s winner: Wave to the kids – in a heart-warming gesture, at every home game the fans of the Iowa Hawkeyes football team wave to sick children who are watching the match with their families in the children’s hospital right beside the stadium.
