All Blacks, Lomu join awards finalists

The All Blacks and Jonah Lomu are finalists in two categories at the annual Laureus world sports awards.

The six nominations for team of the year include the All Blacks for their 11 out of 12 test win record last year, with Spanish soccer giants Barcelona; the Croatian Davis Cup tennis champions; Liverpool, winners of the Champions League soccer crown; the Renault Formula One motor racing team, and NBA basketball champions the San Antonio Spurs.

Lomu is a finalist for the sports comeback of the year.

The other nominees are Swedish world high jump champion Kajsa Bergqvist; US Open tennis champion Kim Clijsters; French downhill ski racer Antoine Deneriaz; Swiss tennis player Martina Hingis, back after a three-year absence, and Scottish golfer Colin Montgomerie, who won a record eighth European Order of Merit title.

The winners will be announced in Barcelona on May 22.