The cream of the crop

Following on from last week’s article highlighting the top performing individuals of 2011, this week we turn our attention to the team that has set the world alight.

The Laureus Awards have shortlisted the following for the World Team of the Year Award:

*All Blacks (N.Zealand) Rugby – won 2011 Rugby World Cup in their own country
*FC Barcelona (Spain) Football – won Champions League and Spanish League in 2010/11
*Dallas Mavericks (US) Basketball – won their first ever NBA Championship
*England Cricket Team – became world No 1 after Ashes win in Australia and beating India 4-0
*Japan Women’s Football Team – became first Asian team to win FIFA Women’s World Cup
*Red Bull (Austria) Motor Racing – won second straight F1 Constructors World Championship

The All Blacks, the national rugby team of New Zealand, ended 24 years of disappointment when they beat France 8-7 in a tense final in Auckland to win the Rugby World Cup for the second time.

Their victory helped to lift the spirits of a nation hit by successive tragedies in the Christchurch earthquake and the Pike River mine disaster.

Football has produced a number of strong contenders but the standout team was FC Barcelona, under coach Pep Guardiola, which won the Champions League and the Spanish League in the 2010/11 season.
 
The highlight of another memorable year was the 3-1 mauling of Manchester United in the Champions League Final at London’s Wembley Stadium. It was the fourth time Barcelona have won Europe’s leading club competition and the third time in six seasons. Barcelona than capped it by landing the World Club title with a record-breaking 4-0 victory over Brazilian side, Santos, in the final.

In the US, Dallas Mavericks won their first ever NBA title, beating favourites Miami Heat. Dirk Nowitzki became the first European-born player to receive the Most Valuable Player Award in the NBA Finals, as the Mavericks beat Miami 4-2 in the best-of-seven series.

The England Cricket Team became No 1 in the world after a spectacular 4-0 series win against India during the summer. Under captain Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower, England’s rise to the top has been relentless.

From May 2009, they had been undefeated although the recent whitewash they received in India sullies their year. Eight England players were nominated for the annual International Cricket Council Awards. Batsman Jonathan Trott was named Cricketer of the Year and Alastair Cook was voted Test Cricketer of the Year.

Thousands of flag-waving fans welcomed the Japan Women’s Football Team home as the nation’s first ever World Cup winners. Japan stunned defending champions Germany 1-0 in the quarter-finals and beat the US in a penalty shootout in the final.

Red Bull won the Formula One World Constructors Championship for the second straight year in 2011. They also won the individual drivers’ title through Sebastian Vettel. Although the team is based in the UK and uses a French Renault engine, it is registered in Austria and is the first Austrian team to win the title.

These team awards are a close call with successful teams that have triumphed with national disasters in the back of their mind (Japan and New Zealand) battling against teams that have totally dominated their rivals (Barcelona and Red Bull).
 
My pick, for the pressure they faced at home while hosting the World Cup, is New Zealand.

The Laureus Awards also recognise a number of enterprising individual performances. My favourite of these recognises the new faces on the international scene, the Breakthrough of the Year. This year’s nominees are:

*Yohan Blake (Jamaica) Athletics – at 21, won 100m gold medal in World Championships
*Mo Farah (UK) Athletics – winner of the 5,000 metres gold medal in the World Championships
*Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) Tennis – at 21, won her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon
*Rory McIlroy (UK) Golf – at 22, won US Open, his first Major Championship
*Li Na (China) Tennis – won French Open to become China’s first ever Grand Slam winner
*Oscar Pistorius (SA) Athletics – first amputee to win track medal in non-disabled World Championships
In the face of adversity and worldwide criticism, my personal choice is Oscar Pistorius for continuing to pursue his ground-breaking dream.

While the previous category considers the newcomers, the next category features some famous names who have battled against tremendous odds.

Laureus World Comeback of the Year:
*Eric Abidal (France) Football – beat cancer to play in winning Barcelona Champions League team
*Darren Clarke (UK) Golf – at 42, recovered from slump in form to win Open Championship
*Crusaders (NZ) Rugby – despite Christchurch earthquake, Crusaders reached final of Super 15
*Sergio Garcia (Spain) Golf – won two European Tour events, after three years without a victory
*Liu Xiang (China) Athletics – after 2008 Olympic disappointment, won silver in World Championships
*Queensland Reds (Australia) Rugby – won Super 15 rugby despite floods in Queensland

My personal choice as winner is Abidal.

The last category I wish to highlight is that of disabled athletes where the nominees are:
Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability:

*Daniel Dias (Brazil) Swimming – won 11 gold medals in 11 events at Parapan Games
*Terezinha Guilhermina (Brazil) Athletics – won four gold medals in IPC World Championships
*Oscar Pistorius (SA) Athletics – first amputee to win track medal in non-disabled World Championships
*Esther Vergeer (Netherlands) Wheelchair Tennis – unbeaten in singles for more than eight years
*David Weir (UK) Wheelchair Athletics – won three gold medals in IPC World Championships
*Irek Zaripov (Russia) Nordic Skiing – won six medals in IPC World Skiing Championships

Pistorius has to come into contention although, as I would like to see him win the Breakthrough of the Year Award, on this occasion I would award the title to Esther Vergeer for taking gold on a world level for eight years in a row.