Kiwis come up short at prestigious sports awards

Usian Bolt was a big winner at the 2017 Laureus World Sports. Photo / Getty

New Zealand athletes have come away empty handed from the prestigious Laureus Awards in Monaco.

Five-time Rio Paralympic medallist Sophie Pascoe has missed out on the sportsperson with a disability award to Italian fencer Beatrice Vio.

Runner Nikki Hamblin has also been overlooked in fan voting for the sporting moment of the year award to Barcelona's under-12 football team.

Hamblin and American runner Abbie D'Augustino were up for the award for their showing of the Olympic spirit when the latter fell in their Rio 5000m heat.

Last year, New Zealand made history when the All Blacks claimed the team of the year honours, and Dan Carter won the comeback of the year award.

Previously, the only Kiwi to have won at the Awards was the late Sir Peter Blake.

Usain Bolt has won sportsman of the year, American gymnast Simone Biles claimed sportswoman of the year, baseball's Chicago Cubs were the team of the year and F1 champion Nico Rosberg won the breakthrough of the year award.

- Radio Sport and NZ Herald