Marcel Hug

Marcel Hug was in the form of his life at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, winning four gold medals – in the 800, 1,500 and 5,000 metres and marathon – also setting a world record in the 1,500m and a Paralympic record in the 5,000m.

Marcel has competed in three previous Paralympics, winning two gold, four silver and two bronze medals, but his performance in Tokyo moved him to a different level and he was voted Best Male Athlete at the Paralympic Games. In a stunning 2021, Marcel also won the Berlin, New York and Boston marathons. It is Marcel’s second Laureus Award, he also won the 2018 Laureus Disability Award. Away from the track he is a Laureus Ambassador and supports the work of Laureus Sport for Good.

It’s just amazing to receive this award. I’m very proud. It is a big honour for me. To be chosen as the winner by the Laureus Academy which includes legends from all sports. To win the Award for the second time is just crazy. When I won the first Award I thought it was a highlight in my career, but now to win it twice is amazing.

MARCEL HUG

What Marcel Hug says: “It’s just amazing to receive this award. I’m very proud. It is a big honour for me. To be chosen as the winner by the Laureus Academy which includes legends from all sports. To win the Award for the second time is just crazy. When I won the first Award I thought it was a highlight in my career, but now to win it twice is amazing.

“It’s difficult to say which of these medals I won at the Paralympics is the most important to me because they are all very special, but maybe in an emotional way the gold medal from the 5,000 metres is a bit special. It was the first event. The first gold medal I won in Tokyo, so it was a moment of huge relief. Huge pressure fell off and a lot of emotions with this medal.

“As a disabled athlete you show different kind of things to other people, they see you as a victim sometimes but I always try to show people I am a human first and also an athlete that shows good performances in sport.

MARCEL HUG

“Last year was a crazy year for me, definitely the most successful year. It was amazing starting in Tokyo, then all the marathons and then the last competition in Japan, when I did a world record. I have had doubts from time to time because the last few years were not easy, I had some defeats. I was not the only favourite in Tokyo there were lots of great athletes, I never really thought it was possible to win the four golds.

“The marathon season in fall was special – we have never had so many marathons in such a short time, it was very hard and mentally very difficult to organise due to the pandemic. But a good challenge that I enjoyed. We had nine marathons in six weeks and I won eight, The last marathon I did was in Japan it was a fast course and I was able to beat the world record, and it was great as it was 20 years old. I have always wanted to beat the world record and I did!

“As a disabled athlete you show different kind of things to other people, they see you as a victim sometimes but I always try to show people I am a human first and also an athlete that shows good performances in sport. Always my goal is to show the people that I’m an athlete like anyone else, we all try our best, it doesn’t matter if we are in a wheelchair or not.”

WHAT LAUREUS WORLD SPORTS ACADEMY MEMBERS SAY:

Swiss cycling legend and Laureus Academy Membe Fabian Cancellara presented the Laureus Statuette to Marcel Hug. He said: “I am delighted to announce that Marcel Hug has won this Award. When we look at all those names [of Nominees] and all those performances, I can definitely say ‘huge respect’.”

British Paralympic legend Tanni Grey-Thompson, the Vice Chair of the Laureus Academy said: “Looking at my own sport, Marcel Hug, winning four golds was just in the form of his life. It was almost like he could win the races any way that he wanted. He just hit that sweet spot. And then probably his greatest achievement was after the Paralympics, breaking the world record for the marathon that had been there for 20 plus years. That was probably his greatest achievement last year.”

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Marcel

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Sarah Storey

25 Years of Laureus

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Marcel

Hug