BEIJING, April 9 -- Liu Xiang collected two titles at the award ceremony of the 2006 China Laureus Sports Awards.

Liu, Athens Olympic champion in men's 110m hurdles, was voted the best male athlete and the most popular athlete. His coach Sun Haiping was consequently awarded the best coach title.

Diving queen Guo Jingjing won the best female athlete award while the Chinese diving team, a world renowned dream team, took the award for best team.

Ding Junhui, the snooker prodigy, was named the best athlete in a non-Olympic sport.

Hu Kai, the Universiad men's 100m champion, and 20-year-old female gymnast Chen Fei, the world champion vaulter, were named the best newcomers of the year.

The best partners' award went to Turin Olympic silver medalists Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao. Their couragous performace at the Turin Games helped them to beat strong competitors such as tennis Australian Open doubles champions Zheng Jie and Yan Zi to win the top award.

The breakthrough award went without surprise to Han Xiaopeng, China's first male athlete to win a winter Olympics gold medal.

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com)