THE Annual National Sports Awards (Ansa) will be held on December 13, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) announced yesterday. BY THE SPORTS REPORTER
Unlike last year when 13 categories were contested for, SRC has included a new category called the Women in Sport award.
The award, the SRC said, seeks to “recognise a woman who would have championed the cause of sport beyond any measure of doubt”. But as usual, most focus would be on the nominations for the prestigious Sportsperson of the Year, Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards.
The awards meant to reward and celebrate sporting excellence among the top performing athletes and officials, will be held under the theme “A heart for success”.
“We believe that in order for one to achieve their dreams and aspirations they must have a heart for success,” said SRC corporate communications officer Tirivashe Nheweyembwa yesterday.
“Adjudication of the nominations has started and the judges’ panel has been receiving the nominations from the National Sport Associations in all the categories.”
Save for the Sables’ heroics in Tunisia in the Africa Cup, this has generally not been a good year for Zimbabwe in terms of sport.
Team Zimbabwe at the London Olympics performed below expectations. The Warriors disappointed once again as they failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations, while former world swimming Champion Kirsty Coventry did not do much.
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However, there are some individuals who excelled and deserve some recognition at the Ansa awards.
Brendon De Jonge was the country’s face of golf this year and his fourth finish CIMB Classic in Malaysia late last month was a major highlight of the season so far.
Also running for the prestigious award is motorsport sensation Axcil Jefferies. The 18-year-old was a revelation in his debut season in Formula Two (F2) this year, finishing 12th and winning points in eight races.
He is only the second African driver to compete in F2 after Ricardo Teixeira, who raced for Angola in 2010.
African rugby champions, the Sables, are a sure bet to win the Team of the Year award after their triumph in the Africa Cup and so is their coach Brandon Dawson in the Coach of the Year category. United States-based Zimbabwean teenage golfer Sean Crocker (15) has been outstanding on the American Junior Golf Association circuit this season and could be rewarded in the Junior Sportsperson of the Year category.
Principal sponsors of the awards Delta has poured in $50 000 for the awards, but the SRC is still appealing for more sponsorship.
