NEW YORK. Feb I: South African President Nelson Mandela was named Tuesday , as the recipient of the second 1 Jesse Owens Global Award honouring individuals who contribute to society from a background of sports ' reports AFP

The award is intended to honour a person who has "shown distinguished leadership in the field through personal example of work, deeds or written and spoken statements over a period of years."

Mandela, who was an amateur boxer as a youngster, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for his work in guiding South Africa out of apartheid.

He was selected for the Owens Global Award by an international panel assembled by the International Amateur Athletic Association.

The Global Award is a sister award to the Jesses Owens International Trophy.

Norweigian speedskater Johann Olav Koss. winner of three Olympic gold medals in three world reeord times at the Lillehammer GSmes last February, had already been named as the winner of the trophy award.

Both Mandela and Koss are to be presented with their awards on February 7 in New York.