WINDHOEK – The 2018 edition of the annual Namibia Sports Awards will tomorrow take centre stage at Swakopmund, where the country’s crème de la crème sports personalities will be rewarded for their hard work and efforts.
This year’s awards, which mark the 15th edition and boast no less than 14 categories in total, will be held tomorrow at The Dome in the coastal town under the theme ‘All-star night driven by the passion to win’.
It will be the first time that the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) hosts the awards outside Windhoek since the event’s conception 15 years ago, and during the launch of the awards a few weeks ago the NSC said the decision to host the awards in Swakopmund was aimed at bringing all Namibians under one roof to celebrate and honour the country’s top sports personalities.
Electricity distributor at the coast Erongo Red will sponsor the Erongo Red People’s Choice Sports Star award, which was voted for by the public through an SMS line by sending a PC and the name of the athlete for nomination to 33033. One SMS cost N$2.00. In 2017, professional boxer Julius Indongo won the Sports Achiever of the Year award as well as Sportsman of the Year award. Marathon runner Helalia Johannes took home the Sportswoman of the Year trophy.
The nominees are as follows:
Coach of the Year
Barbara Fernandez Veitia – Namibia Paralympic Committee
Robert Kaxuxuena – Athletics
Tobias Nashilongo – Professional Boxing
Sports Development Programme of the Year
NFA Galz and Goals
Kids on Bikes Cycling (also nominated last year)
Rugby Development Programme
Junior Sportsman of the Year
Adriaan Grobler – Archery
Allexander Muller – Cycling
Lance Potgieter – Gymnastics (also nominated last year)
Junior Sportsman with Disability of the Year
Alfredo Bernado – Athletics
Bradley Murere – Athletics
Dian Jansen – Javelin and Shot Put (won last year)
Junior Sportswoman of the Year
Carene van Zyl – Gymnastics
Kiana Cormack – Hockey
Quinn Redding – Archery
Junior Sportswoman with Disability of the Year
Beatha Hausiku – Athletics
Emilia Musenge – Athletics
Sportsman of the Year
Likius Nande – Golf
Jonas Junius – Amateur Boxing
Tristan de Lange – Cycling
Sportsman with Disability of the Year
Ananias Shikongo – Athletics (also nominated last year)
Johannes Nambala – Athletics (won last year)
Sportswoman of the Year
Helalia Johannes – Athletics
Magreth Mengo – Indoor Hockey
Natascha Rottcher – Water Ski
Sportswoman with Disability of the Year
Johanna Benson – Athletics (also nominated last year)
Lahja Ishitile – Athletics (won last year)
Sylvia Shivolo – Shot Put and Discus
Sports Team of the Year
Senior Rugby (also nominated last year)
Senior Women’s Indoor Hockey (also nominated last year)
Junior Men’s Inline Hockey
Umpire/Referee of the Year
Patrick Esterhuizen – Professional Boxing
Jamal Madiane – Gymnastics
Berthold Karumendu – Athletics
Sports Journalist of the Year
Limba Mupetami – Namibian Sun
Sheefeni Nicodemus – The Namibian
Hesron Kapanga – Nampa