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Fledgling, accomplished athletes to grace Windhoek for annual regional sport awards

Fledgling, accomplished athletes to grace Windhoek for annual regional sport awards

Fledgling and accomplished athletes from across nine Southern African countries are set to battle for honours in the fourth edition of the Regional Annual Sports Awards (RASA 2019) following the unveiling of nominees.

The voting process of the awards hosted by African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5, begin ahead of the grand ceremony scheduled to take place in Windhoek, Namibia on 25 May.

The nation will be represented by two nominees namely Limba Mupetami (journalist) and Ananias Shikongo (Paralympian), who represented the country at the regional level this year.

This year’s event, which will be celebrated under the theme, “Celebrating Excellence, Inspiring Innovation”, is expected to attract about 250 invited guests and dignitaries, including ministers of sport from all ten Region 5 member countries, legends and sports celebrities from across the region.

Confirming the final list of the top three nominees per category, the CEO of the African Union Sports Council Region 5, Stanley Mutoya confirmed that the voting process was complete and the top three deserving athletes per category are now in the public domain.

Nine of the 10 member countries who entered the winners of their national sports awards as nominees for RASA 2019 include Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The full list is as follows:

JUNIOR SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

Kennedy Luchembe, Athletics , Zambia

  • Blessing Kamanga, Chess, Malawi

  • Ryan Gwidzima, Squash, Zimbabwe

JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

  • Moneyi Chingaipe, Athetics, Malawi

  • Lorryn Ashley Bass, Rowing, Zimbabwe

  • Manqabang Tsibela, Athletics, Lesotho

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

  • Isaac Makwala, Athletics, Botswana

  • Wilfred Mashaya, Martial Arts (Kubudo), Zimbabwe

  • Chad Le Clos, Swimming, South Africa

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

  • Anisha Basheel, Boxing, Malawi

  • Caster Semenya, Athletics, South Africa

  • Lerato Sechele, Athletics, Lesotho

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR WITH A DISABILITY

  • Ndodanzi Jonathan Ntutu, Athletics T12, South Africa

  • Celestino Elias Antonio, Football, Angola

  • Ananias Shikongo, Athletics T11, Namibia

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR WITH A DISABILITY

  • Margaret Bangajena, Wheelchair racing, Zimbabwe

  • Monica Munga, Athletics, Zambia

  • Anrune Liebenberg, Athletics T47, South Africa

SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR

  • Botswana 4 x 400 meters Men Relay, Athletics, Botswana

  • Banyana Banyana, Football, South Africa

  • Netball , Netball, Malawi

COACH OF THE YEAR

  • Gilbert Nyamutsamba, Rugby Sevens, Zimbabwe

  • Samuel Sepeng, Athletics, South Africa

  • Christina Mkwanda-Msinji, Netball, Malawi

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

  • Tinashe Tirivavi, The Mirror, Zimbabwe

  • Motshidisi Mohono, South Africa

  • Limba Mupetami, Namibian Sun, Namibia

SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR

  • Wilfred Mashaya, Martial Arts (Kubudo), Zimbabwe

  • Anisha Basheel, Boxing, Malawi

  • Caster Semenya, Athletics, South Africa


About The Author

Sport Contributor

The Economist does not have a dedicated sport reporter. This designation is used for several contributors who want their sport stories in the Economist. Experience has taught us that companies usually want their sport sponsorships published prominently, being the reason for a sports category. It now also carries general sport items but only those with direct Namibian relevance. - Ed.