Yearender: Top 10 world athletes of 2021-Xinhua

Yearender: Top 10 world athletes of 2021

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2021-12-29 13:34:40

File photo taken on Nov. 29, 2021 shows Lionel Messi posing with the trophy of the Men 2021 Ballon d'Or during a ceremony held in Theatre du Chatelet, Paris, France. Messi was crowned with the Ballon d'Or award for a record-extending seventh time in 2021. The 34-year-old striker helped Argentina win the Copa America this summer which ended his long-standing title drought with the senior national team, and he was also named the best player of the tournament and claimed the Golden Boot. He also won the Copa del Rey with FC Barcelona and La Liga's top goalscorer award. (Photo by Henri Szwarc/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- As the sporting year draws to a close, here is Xinhua News Agency's selection of the world's top 10 athletes in 2021:

1. Lionel Messi (Argentina, football)

Messi was crowned with the Ballon d'Or award for a record-extending seventh time in 2021. The 34-year-old striker helped Argentina win the Copa America this summer which ended his long-standing title drought with the senior national team, and he was also named the best player of the tournament and claimed the Golden Boot. He also won the Copa del Rey with FC Barcelona and La Liga's top goalscorer award.

2. Novak Djokovic (Serbia, tennis)

Djokovic, 34, won his 20th Grand Slam men's singles title at Wimbledon, equalling Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer's joint record. He also claimed the men's singles championship at the Australian Open and French Open in 2021.

File photo taken on July 11, 2021 shows Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrating with the trophy after winning the men's final match between Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Matteo Berrettini of Italy at Wimbledon Tennis Championship in London, Britain. Djokovic, 34, won his 20th Grand Slam men's singles title at Wimbledon, equalling Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer's joint record. He also claimed the men's singles championship at the Australian Open and French Open in 2021. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua)

3. Max Verstappen (Netherlands, Formula One)

Red Bull's Verstappen, 24, won the 2021 Formula 1 world championship after overtaking Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton on the last lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He is the first Dutch driver to win the Formula One World Championship.

File photo taken on Dec. 12, 2021 shows Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrating with the trophy after winning the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. Red Bull's Verstappen, 24, won the 2021 Formula 1 world championship after overtaking Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton on the last lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He is the first Dutch driver to win the Formula One World Championship. (Xinhua)

4. Robert Lewandowski (Poland, football)

Lewandowski, 33, scored 41 goals in the 2020-21 season to beat Gerd Muller's goalscoring record for a single season and help Bayern Munich win their ninth consecutive Bundesliga title. He also won the European Golden Boot as the continent's top goalscorer for the 2020-21 season and Striker of the Year at the 2021 Ballon d'Or.

File photo taken on Nov. 29, 2021 shows Robert Lewandowski speaking after receiving the Striker of the Year award at the ceremony for the 2021 Ballon d'Or held in Theatre du Chatelet, Paris, France. Lewandowski, 33, scored 41 goals in the 2020-21 season to beat Gerd Muller's goalscoring record for a single season and help Bayern Munich win the ninth consecutive Bundesliga title. He also won the European Golden Boot as the continent's top goalscorer for the 2020-21 season and Striker of the Year at the 2021 Ballon d'Or. (Photo by Henri Szwarc/Xinhua)

5. Elaine Thompson-Herah (Jamaica, athletics)

Thompson-Herah, 29, collected gold medals in the women's 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. On August 22, Thompson-Herah won the 100m with a new personal best of 10.54 seconds at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Eugene, just 0.05 seconds shy of the world record. She was named the World Athletes of the Year at the World Athletics Awards 2021.

File photo taken on July 31, 2021 shows Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica reacting after the Women's 100m Final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Thompson-Herah, 29, collected gold medals in the women's 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. On August 22, Thompson-Herah won the 100m with a new personal best of 10.54 seconds at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Eugene, just 0.05 seconds shy of the world record. She was named the World Athletes of the Year at the World Athletics Awards 2021. (Xinhua/Jia Yuchen)

6. Ma Long (China, table tennis)

At the Tokyo Olympics, 33-year-old Ma beat compatriot Fan Zhendong 4-2 in the final, becoming the first table tennis player in history to win consecutive Olympic titles in the men's singles event. He is also the most decorated table tennis player ever with 26 world and Olympic titles.

File photo taken on July 30, 2021 shows China's Ma Long celebrating after scoring during the men's singles final of the table tennis competition against his teammate Fan Zhendong, at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. At the Tokyo Olympics, 33-year-old Ma beat compatriot Fan Zhendong 4-2 in the final, becoming the first table tennis player in history to win consecutive Olympic titles in the men's singles event. He is also the most decorated table tennis player ever with 26 world and Olympic titles. (Xinhua/Wang Yuguo)

7. Caeleb Dressel (United States, swimming)

Dressel, 25, won five gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the men's 50 meter freestyle, 100 meter freestyle, 100 meter butterfly, 4x100m freestyle and 4x100m medley relays. He holds nine world records as of August 2021.

File photo taken on Aug. 1, 2021 shows Caeleb Dressel of the United States celebrating after the men's 50m freestyle final of swimming at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Dressel, 25, won five gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the men's 50 meter freestyle, 100 meter freestyle, 100 meter butterfly, 4x100m freestyle and 4x100m medley relays. He holds nine world records as of August 2021. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)

8. Karsten Warholm (Norway, athletics)

In July 2021, 25-year-old Warholm broke the 29-year-old world record in 400 meters hurdles. A month later at the Tokyo Olympics, he won the gold medal with a time of 45.94 seconds, breaking his own world record. He was named the World Athletes of the Year at the World Athletics Awards 2021.

File photo taken on Aug. 3, 2021 shows Karsten Warholm of Norway reacting after the men's 400m hurdles final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. In July 2021, 25-year-old Warholm broke the 29-year-old world record in 400m hurdles. A month later at the Tokyo Olympics, he won the gold medal with a time of 45.94 seconds, breaking his own world record. He was named the World Athletes of the Year at the World Athletics Awards 2021. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

9. Viktor Axelsen (Denmark, badminton)

Axelsen, 27, beat China's Chen Long in the men's singles final to win Olympic gold at the Tokyo Olympic Games. He then won the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals and was named the 2020/2021 BWF Male Player of the Year.

File photo taken on Aug. 2, 2021 shows Viktor Axelsen of Denmark celebrating victory of the men's singles final of badminton between Chen Long of China and Viktor Axelsen of Denmark at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Axelsen, 27, beat China's Chen Long in the men's singles final to win Olympic gold at the Tokyo Olympic Games. He then won the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals and was named the 2020/2021 BWF Male Player of the Year. (Xinhua/Xue Yubin)

10. Lamont Marcell Jacobs (Italy, athletics)

Jacobs, 27, was crowned as the world's fastest man at the Tokyo Olympics in 9.80 seconds, becoming the first European sprinter to win the men's 100m race since Barcelona 1992. Enditem

File photo taken on Aug. 1, 2021 shows Lamont Marcell Jacobs of Italy reacting after the men's 100m final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Jacobs, 27, was crowned as the world's fastest man at the Tokyo Olympics in 9.80 seconds, becoming the first European sprinter to win the men's 100m race since Barcelona 1992. (Xinhua/Li Gang)