Maurice Kambukwe
Following the cancellation of last year’s annual MTC Namibia Sport Awards, the Chief Administrator of the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) Freddy Mwiya yesterday said the 2021 edition of the national awards will be held in October despite ongoing Covid-19 concerns. Speaking to New Era Sport yesterday, Mwiya said the annual MTC Namibia Sport Awards are back on the NSC’s 2021 sporting calendar and despite the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the NSC will ensure athletes are rewarded for their hard work and efforts.
“We will have the awards this year and we are looking at October, the 31 October to be precise. They [awards] are on our calendar for this year and we really want to ensure that our hardworking athletes are recognised and rewarded,” said Mwiya.
Asked what criteria will be used to gauge and determine the performances of the athletes since most local and international competitions were interrupted by the raging coronavirus, Mwiya said they will look at achievements attained from September 2019 until March 2020 as well as other noteworthy local or international achievements recorded during the pandemic last year – including those that will be achieved this year leading up to the awards in October.
“We did have athletes who competed in various competitions during the pandemic last year and some even competed virtually in most competitions due to the pandemic, so all those will be considered as well. The sport industry just like any other industry has it bad and good circumstances, but irrespective of that, we still have to perform and deliver. So, the awards coming back this year will also help keep the hopes of athletes alive and motivate them to compete further and make the country proud. We want to motivate our athletes, it’s very important,” added Mwiya, who did not immediately state whether the awards will be remotely held or an actual function will take place come October.
Some of the notable achievements by Namibian athletes last year are the country’s Young Warriors reaching the 2020 Cosafa U/20 Cup final and consequently qualified for this year’s Africa U/20 Cup of Nations (Afcon), which gets underway this weekend in Mauritania.
Local sprint sensation Beatrice Masilingi also made waves last year despite Covid-19 setbacks when she destroyed a strong field of challengers to win the women’s 400m race in a record time of 50.99 seconds during the 2020 Kip Keino Classic World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Nairobi, Kenya.
Masilingi’s winning time of 50.99 seconds also saw her breaking the previous record of 51.19 seconds set by Sudan’s Nawal El Jack, and equally saw her improve her personal best time of 52.19. -mkambukwe@nepc.com.na