Canadian snowboarder Max Parrot takes home Laureus World Comeback of the Year award
26-year-old won multiple X Games gold medals after beating cancer
Canadian Olympic snowboarder Max Parrot picked up some hardware Thursday, winning the Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award after overcoming Hodgkin's Lymphoma cancer to win multiple X Games gold medals.
The Bromont, Que., native bested Alex Smith (NFL), Alex Morgan (USA Soccer), Daniel Bard (MLB), Mikaela Shiffren (USA Skiing) and Kento Monota (Badminton, Japan) for the award.
The 26-year-old currently holds the record for the most snowboarding big air gold medals in X Games history.
"Winning this award is very special to me. I can easily say that it is my biggest achievement," Parrot said. "It's a recognition that I am extremely proud of. I share it with the many important people in my life that took part in this journey with me. The Laureus Academy told me they were inspired by my story and who I am as a person. This just inspires me to accomplish so much more."
Parrot was diagnosed with cancer on December 21, 2018. He won his battle within six months.
Only two months after announcing he was cancer-free, Parrot returned to competition at the Norway X Games where he won a big air gold medal.
Following a big air gold medal win in January at a World Cup in Austria, with expectations of competing in the upcoming X Games, he tested positive for COVID-19 and was unable to compete. He went on to win silver in the big air event at the world championships in March, in Aspen, Colo.
The other winners of the 2021 Laureus World Sports Awards, which were revealed at a digital awards ceremony in Seville, Spain, were:
- Rafael Nadal (Laureus World Sportsman of the year)
- Naomi Osaka (Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year)
- Patrick Mahomes (Laureus World Breakout Athlete of the Year)
- Bayern Munich (Laureus World Team of the Year Award).
WATCH | Max Parrot's victory in his battle with cancer:
