BEIJING - CHINA'S remarkable achievement in topping the medals table at last year's Beijing Olympics was recognised when they won the team title at the 2009 Laureus Sports Awards on Friday.

The Chinese Olympic team won the award ahead of Manchester United, the Spanish national soccer team, the British Olympic cycling team, the Jamaican Olympic sprint team and the NBA's Boston Celtics.

Laureus Academy president Edwin Moses presented the award to Cui Dalin, China's deputy sports minister and the chef de mission of the Chinese team which won 51 golds, 21 silver and 28 bronze medals in Beijing.

The usual gala ceremony for the awards, dubbed the 'Oscars' of the sporting world, was cancelled this year and replaced by individual ceremonies for the winners because of the global economic downturn. -- REUTERS