Runner Genzebe Dibaba won sportswoman of the year for breaking three world records in different events in a span of two weeks.

The 24-year-old Ethiopian set indoor records in the 1,500-meter, 3,000-meter and two-mile events in Europe last February. She joined Jesse Owens and Usain Bolt as the only athletes to break three world marks in three events in two weeks.

Her sister, three-time Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba, was nominated for the Laureus Award before, but didn't win.

"Two family members being nominees for this big award," she said, "our family is very lucky."

Dibaba won the award over tennis stars Li Na and Serena Williams, shot putter Valerie Adams, cross-country skier Marit Bjorgen and skier Tina Maze.

The Laureus Awards were held for the first time in China and brought out many of the country's top sports stars, including a heavily pregnant Li, basketball player Yao Ming and Olympic champion hurdler Liu Xiang.

Li, who captured her second Grand Slam title at the 2014 Australian Open and rose to No 2 in the world, won the Laureus Academy Exceptional Achievement Award. She talked about how difficult it was to retire from the sport eight months after her triumph in Melbourne because of recurring knee injuries.

"I never believed I would retire last year. I had a very good beginning of the year, big chance to catch No 1 in the world, but my body cannot handle it anymore," she said. "It was a very tough decision for me."