After a disappointing 2008 when she failed to win the Olympic gold medal and the US$1m Golden League by the narrowest of margins – on countback of the number of attempts she had made at the height - Croatia’s greatest high jumper Blanka Vlasic stormed back in 2009 to win World Championship gold and record a personal best within the space of 11 days in August. At the Berlin World Championships on August 20 she cleared 2.04 metres to win gold, then in Zagreb on August 31 she cleared 2.08 metres – the second best high jump ever.

The 2010 annual Laureus World Sports Awards is to be held in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday March 10.

The Laureus World Sports Awards is recognised as the premier honours event in the international sporting calendar and the Awards Ceremony provides a high profile focus as stars of the sporting world come together to salute the finest sportsmen and sportswomen of the year.

The winners are selected by the ultimate sports jury - the 46 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the living legends of sport honouring the greatest athletes of today.

The 2010 Awards Ceremony, which will be broadcast to a worldwide TV audience, will be staged at the Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi.