Conor Gallagher’s girlfriend dazzles on red carpet as stars gather in Madrid to see Simone Biles win ‘sporting Oscar’
SPORTING royalty from across the world gathered in Madrid to see Simone Biles win the Laureus Award.
The annual glitzy ceremony in the Spanish capital was attended by the likes of Novak Djokovic and Sir Chris Hoy as athletes stunned in dapper suits and bold dresses.
England star Conor Gallagher caught the eye at the event alongside girlfriend Aine May Kennedy.
The couple were dressed to impress as they hit the red carpet in style.
Gallagher, who now plays for Atletico Madrid, wore a tuxedo and his partner Aine dazzled in a long black dress.
He was not the only footballer to swap his kit for a suit as Roma ace Paulo Dybala was pictured alongside his model wife Oriana Sabatini.
Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis was also in attendance with his influencer fiancee Desire Inglander.
Tennis power couple Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa strutted their stuff, as did former Wimbledon champion Boris Becker and his partner Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro.
But among the hundreds of sporting greats, it was Biles who was the belle of the Cibeles Palace ball.
She was crowned Sportswoman of the Year after claiming three golds at the Olympics in Paris last year.
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Her name was etched on the award dubbed the “Oscars of Sport” for a record-equalling fourth time.
Duplantis took the men’s prize, Real Madrid won Team of the Year and Barcelona ace Lamine Yamal took the “Breakthrough” gong won by Jude Bellingham last year.
In the only British success, double gold-winning mountain biker Tom Pidcock was named Action Sportsperson of the Year following his dramatic victory in the French capital as he retained his Games title.
Pidcock’s victory at the 25th edition of the awards was chosen by the judging panel of the 69 former champions of the Laureus Academy.
The Brit, 25, who is aiming for an Olympic “three-peat” in Los Angeles in 2028, said: “There are a lot of awards but for me this one ranks higher and is more recognition. It’s pretty special.“
Biles, who called Paris her “redemption tour” after breaking down in tears in Tokyo, equalled Serena Willams’ four Laureus titles and said: “I’m so happy to be here for this.
“I won this Award for the first time in 2017 and Laureus’ belief that sport has the power to change the world has been a part of my story since then.
“That might be a little girl watching someone like me on television and deciding she can do it, too. The Laureus Awards truly are the ‘Athletes Awards’ and I am proud to have added to my collection.”
Spanish tennis great Rafael Nadal, given the Laureus Sporting Icon Award after calling time on his career, said: “It is for other people to decide if I’m a sporting icon.
“But I hope that my career has inspired fans beyond tennis. I gave it everything I had. It’s been an emotional year for me.”