Christian Lealiifano says he has been humbled by the “overwhelming” and global response to his nomination for Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year.
Typically, however, the inspiring former Brumby and Wallabies star says he took most pride in his nomination because it recognises the many people who helped him return to the top in rugby after beating cancer.
And as far as his chances of winning, and joining the likes of past honourees Tiger Woods, Michael Phelps, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer?
Let’s just say Lealiifano is not losing too much sleep.
"You feel like you have won already,” Lealiifano told RUGBY.com.au from Japan.
"You probably shouldn’t get an award for being recognised for being healthy and alive. I have been given the gift of life already.”
After being diagnosed with leukaemia in 2016, undergoing a bone marrow transplant and enduring chemotherapy, Lealiifano’s remarkable return to the Brumbies - and then the Wallabies for the 2019 Rugby World Cup - was recognised by the Laureus Foundation for their star-stuffed 2020 awards.
🏊♂️ Nathan Adrian 🇺🇸
— Laureus (@LaureusSport) January 16, 2020
🇩🇪 Sophia Flörsch 🏎
🏉 Christian Lealiifano 🇦🇺
🇺🇸 Kawhi Leonard🏀
⚽️ Liverpool FC 🏴
🇬🇧 Andy Murray 🎾
👊 #Laureus20 Comeback of the Year 💪#SportUnitesUs pic.twitter.com/x6cibFq6vq
The Comeback of the Year category goes to “a sportsperson or team who has overcome injury, illness, adversity, disappointment or failure and risen back to triumph in the sporting arena.”
Also nominated alongside Lealiifano are tennis player Andy Murray, NBA star Kawhi Leonard, the Liverpool football club, swimmer Nathan Adrian and F3 driver Sophia Florsch.
"It’s been overwhelming hey? I am truly, truly humbled,” Lealiifano said.
"I have said that a fair bit, just the recognition of people seeing me back to play footy and the support they’ve shown.
"The publicity around it has been pretty huge and people have been sending me private messages and whatnot. My initial thoughts was oh man, this is a big thing but it is not only me, it’s not only myself.
"There are a lot of people in the background who have got me to where I am, so for me it is not an individual award. It is a family, it’s a rugby community, it’s a whole thing. I haven’t done this thing by myself. It’s been a whole family of people that have got me to there.”
The Laureus Awards will be presented in Berlin on February 17.
"I am grateful that the whole Laureus sport thing is to unite people, and I definitely feel as unfortunate as that was, it definitely united the closest people in my life and it is something I am forever grateful for,” Lealiifano said.
"Now the recognition is pretty overwhelming and proud of as well, for all the people involved.
"You are definitely not on your own (in making a comeback) …but for some people, they are out there on their own in these bad times.
"So, for me, it is about making sure they’re not alone, and if they feel alone, to be able to seek help and find people who can help you.”
Lealiifano won’t be the only rugby representative at the Laureus Awards, with South Africa nominated for Team of the Year after their Rugby World Cup win, and Japan nominated for Breakthrough of the Year for their brilliant run to the quarter-finals as hosts of the tournament.
Rugby has produced two winners of the Comeback of the Year, with Dan Carter (2016) and Schalk Burger (2015) both having picked up the prize in past years.
As they say in the classics, Lealiifano is genuinely just happy to be nominated.
"Adding an award on having been the gift of life ...I guess it is just recognition of how you can inspire different people and different walks of life in the world,” Lealiifano said.
“And that’s a huge honour. It’s truly humbling."
