Chinese double amputee climber Xia Boyu wins Laureus award

Chinese climber Xia Boyu poses as he celebrates winning the Sporting Moment of the Year award at Laureus World Sports Awards in Salle des Etoiles, Monaco, Feb. 18, 2019. (Photo/Agencies)

(ECNS) - Chinese climber double amputee Xia Boyu won the Sporting Moment of the Year prize at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.

At the awards ceremony held in Salle des Etoiles in Monaco, Novak Djokovic was named World Sportsman of the Year and United States gymnast Simone Biles Sportswoman of the Year.

Xia received the most votes in the global Laureus Sporting Moment of the Year public vote.

He was recognized for his efforts in becoming only the second double-amputee to scale the world's highest peak Qomolangma last year at 69 years old, and the first to reach the summit from the Nepalese side.

Xia said it’s a great honor for him to win the award after he finally scaled the summit despite many difficulties. “I did not give up, and I have been perseverant.”

The Chinese climber lost both his legs in 1975 during his first attempt to reach the summit due to frostbite. Xia made for the summit in 2014, 2015 and 2016 as well, but his dreams were shattered owing to avalanche, earthquake and bad weather respectively. 

Last July, Xia became the fourth nominee for the Laureus Sporting Moment of the Year, joining ski jumping legends Sven Hannawald and Kamil Stoch, Doddie Weir and Rochdale football star Joe Thompson.

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