Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has prevailed over the claims of Swiss tennis ace Roger Federer to win his second consecutive Laureus Sportsman of the Year award.

American tennis player Serena Williams won the women's prize while Australia's Stephanie Gilmore was named Action Sportsperson of the Year after winning the women's world surfing title last year.

The awards were announced at a lavish ceremony in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday night (early Thursday morning AET).

Bolt, the triple gold medallist from the Beijing Olympics, won three gold medals in the same events (100m, 200m and 4x100m) at last year's athletics world championships in Berlin, setting world records in the 100m and 200m races.

Williams also earned her second award on the back of her victories at the Australian Open and Wimbledon and regaining the No. 1 ranking.

Belgian tennis player Kim Clijsters took the award for the Comeback of the Year. She won the US Open in 2009 after a two-year absence from the sport, during which time she married and gave birth.

Federer had been fancied to claim a fifth Laureus title after winning his first French Open title last year and his sixth Wimbledon crown.

But Bolt got the judges' nod ahead of him and the other finalists, Ethiopian track star Kenesisa Bekele, Spanish cycling champion Alberto Contador, Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi and motor cycling's Valentino Rossi of Italy.

Sportsman of the Year

Usain Bolt, Jamaica, athletics

Sportswoman of the Year

Serena Williams, USA, tennis

Team of the Year

Brawn GP, Britain, auto racing

Comeback of the Year

Kim Clijsters, Belgium, tennis

Breakthrough of the Year

Jenson Button, Britain, auto racing

Action Sportsperson of the Year

Stephanie Gilmore, Australia, surfing

Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability

Natalie du Toit, South Africa, swimming