Maria Mutola of Mozambique wins the 800m final (© Getty Images)
Mozambique's Maria Mutola the reigning World and Olympic 800m champion has been voted the top female competitor in world sports for 2003 by a panel of leading sports journalists.
The Budapest-based International Sports Press Association (AIPS) voted in favour of Mutola who in 2003 won her fifth World indoor gold medal, third World outdoor title, and the $1 million dollar IAAF Golden League Jackpot, in one of the most dominant seasons of two lap running in women's athletics history.
Winning the men's award was America's Tour de France cycling legend Lance Armstrong.
Mutola and Armstrong succeeded the Croatian skier Janica Kostelic and Norwegian biathlete Einar Bjorndalen as winners of the prestigious prize which was first awarded in 1965.
England's World Cup-winning rugby union team were named team of the year.