Tennis grand slam champions Amelie Mauresmo and Maria Sharapova, and swimmer Laure Manaudou, who won four gold medals at the 2006 European swimming championships, are among the candidates for the Sportswoman of the Year Award.

The nominees in the seven categories were announced on Tuesday and the winners will be chosen by the members of the 43-strong Laureus World Sports Academy.

They will make public their decisions in the eighth edition of the annual event at a televised ceremony in Barcelona on April 2.

The nominees have been selected by 1,068 members of the awards' media selection panel, from 128 countries and regions.