…bigger, better, richer
WINDHOEK – The Windhoek Country Club Resort and Casino, will play host to the much anticipated MTC Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) annual Sports Awards tonight, where the crème de la crème of local athletes, administrators, sports scribes will be honoured for their hard work and achievements.
The commendable increases in prize monies for this year’s award winners reflect the NSC’s newly adopted approach to reward deserving athletes with the kind of money that will motivate them to up their game. Last year’s Sports Achiever of the Year and Sports Women of the Year winner Johanna Benson, is once again in the mix of things as the much adored Paralympics athlete goes shoulder-to-shoulder with swimmer Karlien Coleman and Albertina Johannes, in a bid to take top honours in the category Disabled Sports Women of the Year.
The category Most Improved Sportsperson of the Year category, with five nominees led by Gotlieb Ndokosho, Costa Seibeb, Gerhard Erasmus, Johannes Nambala and Nangula Ekandjo, will also provide stiff competition with all the contestants having acquired remarkable results to reach the required grade. Namibian cycling whizkid, Costa Seibeb, has dominated national events, including the Nedbank Cycle Classic, the KIA Mountainbike Series, the Mariental Road Race and the Otjiwarongo Cycle Classic amongst others. Seibeb surprised friend and foe when he clinched top honours at the Zuri Metzgete Cycling Race in Switzerland, before going on to claim victory in the South African U-23 Elite Victory Race.
The full list of Nominees reads as follows:
Sport Achiever of the Year: Henrico Botes (football), Paulus Ambunda, Harry Simon (both boxing) and Adrian Combrink (horse endurance)
Disabled Sportsman of the Year:
Elias Ndimulunde, Annanias Shikongo (both athletics), Gideon Nasilowski (swimming), Martin Amutenya, Johannes Nambala, Litwaui Johannes (all athletics), Ruben Soroseb (weightlifting), Peter Balhoa
Disabled Sportswoman of the Year: Johanna Benson (athletics), Karlien Coleman (swimming) and Albertina Johannes (athletics)
Sportsman of the Year:
Paulus Ambunda, Immanuel Naidjala, Paulus Moses, Harry Simon and Bethuel Uushona (all boxing)
Sportswomen of the Year:
Vera Adrian (cycling), Riette Jacobs (karate), Tjipee Herunga (athletics) and Danielle Schmidt (inline hockey)
Junior Sportsman of the Year:
Lushano Lambrecht (swimming), Wian Conradie (rugby), Tristan de Lange (cycling), Freddy Mwiya (karate) and Christopher Arries (rugby)
Junior Sportswoman of the Year:
Zanre Oberholzer (swimming), Shakira Stein (karate), Sedi Jacobs (tennis) and Natasha Dieterich (fencing)
Disabled Junior Sportsman of the Year: Itemba Elia and Aihuki Eliakim (both athletics)
Disabled Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Lahja Ishitule, Frieda Nakanuala and Rosa Mandjord (all athletics)
Sports Team of the Year:
Cycling, Junior Tennis Fedcup, Jukskei Women’s team and Athletics team
Most Improved Sportsperson of the Year: Gotlieb Ndokosho (boxing), Costa Seibeb (cycling), Gerhard Erasmus (cricket), Johannes Nambala (disability sport) and Nangula Ekandjo (disability sport)
Development Programme of the Year:Namibia Hockey Union, Archery Association of Namibia, Special Olympics and Namibia Tennis Association
Coach of the Year:
Nestor Tobias (boxing) and Letu Hamhola (athletics)
Administrator of the Year:
Robert Thompson (women’s rugby), Carol Garoes (NAWISA), Barry Rukoro (football), Francois Erasmus (cricket), Gerrit van Schalkwyk (cycling), Marie-Jeanne Ndimbira (tennis and swimming) Laurie Pieters (tennis), Ralph Ludwig (darts) and Gudrun Denker (inline hockey)
Umpire/Referee of the Year:
Timo Haikonda, Herman Garus-Oab, Ricky Gawanab, John Kaimbi (all boxing) and Berthold Karumendu (athletics)
Volunteer of the Year:
Bob Mould (tennis), Eliaser Amuthita (disability sports), Marie Ndimbira (swimming and tennis)