Mark and Natalie join stellar cast in Monaco

In exploring the extremities of human endeavour and spirit Mark Shuttleworth and Natalie du Toit had few rivals last year.

Their headline-grabbing achievements in 2002 did not go undetected internationally and earned them invitations to the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards which will be held in Monaco on Monday and Tuesday.

Shuttleworth, the first African in space and Du Toit, who earned worldwide admiration for her courage and determination at the Commonwealth Games will join fellow-South Africans Gary Player, who is a member of the Laureus Academy and former Springbok rugby captain Morne du Plessis at the pre-eminent sports awards ceremony.

The awards, which are in their fifth year, honours the top achievers in sport as the list of nominees in the various categories clearly illustrates. The world's top-ranked golfer Tiger Woods, Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher, four-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, football World Cup winner Ronaldo and biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen are in the running for the Laureus World Sportsman of the year award.

The Sportswoman of the year award has equally-deserving nominees. Track and field star Marion Jones, top-ranked golfer Annika Sorenstam, top-ranked tennis player Serena Williams, marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe and alpine skier Janica Kostelic are on the short-list for the women's crown.

The Laureus Team of the year, which was won by the Australian cricket team last year has the Brazilian football team, the Canadian ice hockey team, the European Ryder Cup team, the Ferrari Formula One team and Real Madrid football club as its contenders this year.

The newcomer of the year award will feature exciting England striker Wayne Rooney, Wimbledon finalist David Nalbandian, basketball's Yao Ming, tennis player Daniela Hantuchova and speed skating's Jochem Uytdehaage, while the comeback of the year award will go to one of Janica Kostelic, skier Hermann Maier, Ronaldo, Pete Sampras or swimmer Franziska van Almsick.

Among the other current and former sports stars who will be in attendance are: John McEnroe, Dawn Fraser, Emerson Fittipaldi, Nadia Comaneci, Marvin Hagler, Miguel Indurain, Henri Leconte, Kip Keino, Mick Doohan, Youri Djorkaeff, Thomas Castaignede, Mick Doohan, Kapil Dev, Sebastian Coe, Sir Bobby Charlton, Jean-Pierre Rives, Abdel Benazzi, Ilie Nastase, Ian Botham, Marcel Desailly, Franz Beckenbauer, Mark Spitz, Donovan Bailey, Boris Becker, Martina Navratilova, Arsene Wenger, Alberto Tomba, Hugo Porta, Sergey Bubka and Laureus Academy chairman Edwin Moses.

Shuttleworth will have the opportunity to rub shoulders with the likes of Prince Albert of Monaco, while the entertainment industry will be represented among others by pop diva Kylie Minogue, actors Tim Allen and David Hasselhoff, former model Rachel Hunter and crooners Lionel Ritchie and Rod Stewart.

The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and Auction will be held on Monday while the Laureus Sports Awards will be on Tuesday night.

- Liam Del Carme will travel to Monaco on the invitation and at the expense of the Laureus Sports Awards.