“My main hopes for the future would just be to have helped or impacted as many people as I could,” said Osaka
Naomi Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam champion, was named Sportswoman of the Year at the 21st Laureus World Sports Awards on Thursday.
The 23-year-old accepted the award virtually from a training base in Los Angeles and shared her intentions of using her platform for the greater good.
“I am so happy to receive this Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award and I know that, for me, I’ve watched so many of my role models win this award growing up, so it definitely means a lot to now be holding it,” Osaka holding her trophy.
“Looking ahead, my main hopes for the future would just be to have helped or impacted as many people as I could. You know, if you have a platform I think it’s very important to use it,” she continued.
Osaka celebrated on social media, saying, “Crazy times, we really won a laureus.”
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“I just wanna say I really appreciate you all. As you can tell, I don’t know where this road will lead but thanks for accompanying me on this journey lol,” she wrote.
Laureus recognized the tennis player, who won the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year Award in 2018, for her philanthropy and activism in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, according to Revolt.
During last year’s U.S. Open, Osaka wore different seven masks in each round displaying the names of Black people who died from police brutality: Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Avery, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Philando Castle, and Tamir Rice.
Source: Naomi Osaka named 2021 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year
