The winners of the 2013 Laureus World Sports Awards were unveiled at an awards ceremony at the Theatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro on Monday.

Among the highlights were a third Laureus Award for Jamaican sprint giant Usain Bolt, a triple success for British sport with honours for Jessica Ennis, Andy Murray and Sebastian Coe, and a special new award for Michael Phelps, the most successful Olympian of all time.

The Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognise sporting achievement during 2012, were hosted by Hollywood stars Morgan Freeman and Eva Longoria.

Usain Bolt was acclaimed Laureus World Sportsman of the Year after his remarkable performance at the Olympics when he repeated his success in Beijing by winning gold medals in all three sprint events in London - 100 metres, 200 metres and 4 x 100 metres relay.

The Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award went to Jessica Ennis, who carried the hopes of the British nation in London. Ennis dominated the heptathlon and won the gold medal with a British record score of 6,955 pts.

British tennis star Andy Murray's first ever Grand Slam victory, at the US Open, plus an Olympic gold and silver medal in the singles and mixed doubles in London, made him the winner of the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award.

Brazil's Daniel Dias, aged 24, was once again the outstanding swimmer of the Paralympic Games, winning six individual gold medals in London, all in world record times. It was an achievement which won him the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award for the second time.

Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner, who became the first human to go through the sound barrier when he made the highest ever freefall from 39km (24 miles) over New Mexico in October 2012, received the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award.

Laureus World Sports Academy Member Sebastian Coe, the Chairman of the Organising Committee of the highly successful London Olympic and Paralympic Games, received the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award.

Legendary swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time with a career total of 22 medals, including 18 gold medals, eight of which he won in one Olympiad in Beijing, was presented with a new Award – the Laureus Academy Exceptional Achievement Award.

Presented by Adam Justice