The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) will today unveil nominees for this year’s Annual National Sports Awards with big names like Ngonidzashe Makusha and Kirsty Coventry expected to dominate the list.
SRC yesterday said 18 sports associations from a total of 41 have forwarded nominations for the awards, an improvement from last year when only 13 associations put forward their choices.
The winners will be announced at a banquet on December 15.
Secretary of the judges panel Tendai Mukuruva yesterday said all was set for the unveiling ceremony with stiff competition expected in the male categories.
Mukuruva said the nominated athletes will battle it out in 15 categories.
The categories are: Sportsperson of the Year; Sportsman of the Year; Sportswoman of the year; Junior Sportsperson; Junior Sportsman; Junior Sportswoman; Junior Sportsman with a Disability; Junior Sportswoman with a Disability; Umpire/Referee of the Year; Coach of the Year; Team of the Year; Sportsman with a Disability; Sportswoman with a Disability; Special Acknowledgement of the Year; Administrator of the Year Award and Sports Development of the Year Award .
While stiff competition is generally expected in all categories, all eyes will surely be on who will scoop the prestigious Sportsperson of the Year, with 11 nominations having been forwarded for this category.
Big names that are lining up for this award include Makusha, Coventry, Stephen Muzhingi, Nyaradzai Tagarira and Robert Gwaze.
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The US-based Makusha made his name among the country’s elite athletes when he won a bronze medal in the long jump at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, early this year.
Coventry, who has been the country’s flag bearer in major tournaments continued with her fine performance again this year.
The swimming icon’s major achievement this year was at the All-Africa Games in Mozambique when she bagged three gold medals, a silver and a bronze.
Triple Comrades Marathon winner Muzhingi has won the award before and will be in the running once again after he successfully defended his title this year.
Other notable athletes who could be knocking hard on the doors include young tennis star Takanyi Garanganga and chase grandmaster Gwaze who both won gold medals in Mozambique.
