MINSK, 31 December (BelTA) – Argentinian forward from FC Barcelona Lionel Messi and U.S. gymnast Simone Biles were named the Best Athletes of 2019 by the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), BelTA has learned.
The winners were determined by the AIPS poll among 331 sports journalists from 102 countries. Lionel Messi secured 13.11% of the vote. Kenyan track and field athlete Eliud Kipchoge was second among male athletes with 12.01% of the vote. World No.1 tennis player Rafael Nadal from Spain rounded out the top three (9.38%).
Simone Biles topped the AIPS poll with 15.04% of the vote. The top three best female athletes of 2019 also included U.S. football player Megan Rapinoe (13.51%) and Jamaican track and field athlete Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (11.01%).
Liverpool FC was voted the Best Team of 2019, winning 30.21% of the vote. The United States Women's National Football Team placed second (17.90%), followed by the South Africa Men's National Rugby Team (14.44%).
The award for the Best Press Facility went to the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha that received 19.10% of the vote. The 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France (17.93%) and the 2019 Wimbledon Championships (15.34%) ranked second and third respectively.