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Canadian snowboarder Max Parrot wins Laureus World Sports Award for comeback

Parrot beat out former Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith
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Max Parrot of Canada competes in the men’s snowboard big air final at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018. Parrot has won the Comeback of the Year honour at the Laureus World Sports Awards. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

SEVILLE, Spain — Canadian snowboarder Max Parrot has won the Comeback of the Year honour at the Laureus World Sports Awards.

Parrot beat out former Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith, American soccer player Alex Morgan, Colorado Rockies pitcher Daniel Bard, American skier Mikaela Shiffren and Japanese badminton player Kento Momota for the award.

After beating cancer (Hodgkin lymphoma), the 26-year-old Parrot returned to the competition circuit in January 2020, only to see his season thrown off by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parrot, from Bromont, Que., took gold in big air at a World Cup event in Austria on Jan. 9 and expected to compete at the X Games in Aspen, Colo., weeks later.

Then his COVID-19 test came back positive.

This year, Parrot took silver in big air at the world championships.in Aspen.

“Winning this award is very special to me,” Parrot said. “I can easily say that it is my biggest achievement. It’s a recognition that I am extremely proud of. I share it with the many important people in my life that took part in this journey with me.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2021.