Double Tokyo Olympic medallist Tatjana Schoenmaker has added another award to her bulging trophy cabinet by picking up the Forbes Woman Africa Sports Award at the Forbes Woman Africa Leading Women Summit.
The South African won two medals at the Tokyo Games last year, gold in the 200m breaststroke and silver in the 100m breaststroke, with another woman, surfer Bianca Buitendag also picking up a silver as Team SA came home with three medals from Japan.
Both Schoenmaker and Buitendag are in line for more gongs when the 2021 SA Sports Awards banquet is held in Durban on Saturday night.
The theme of the 15th edition of the South African Sports Awards is Celebrating Sporting Excellence in the Year of Mama Charlotte Maxeke. The recognition event will be held on Saturday 12 March 2022 at the Durban ICC.
Schoenmaker, and the double gold medallist from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Ntando Mahlangu, are on the shortlist of three for Sports Star of the Year, along with Springbok World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi.
There are 16 categories, which include the People’s Choice Sports Star of the Year, which is a vote open to the public. Here, Schoenmaker, Mahlangu and Kolisi will again be in contention, along with Buitendag, and motorcycling’s Brad Binder.
Over and above the recognition of athletes, the upcoming recognition event will also afford the Minister an opportunity to grant special recognition known as the Shield Of Jove to athletes who have achieved extraordinary excellence.
The categories and nominees are:
Sport Administrator of the Year
Ndumiso Njabulo Nyawose, Cornelia Swanepoel, Anne Vermaak
Indigenous Games Team of the Year
Gauteng, KZN, Western Cape
Sportsman of the Year
Greg Minnaar (cycling), Matthew Sates (swimming), Makazola Mapimpi (rugby)
National Federation of the Year
SASAPD, Surfing, South African Rugby Union
Sportsman of the Year with a Disability
Pieter du Preez, Ntando Mahlangu, Mpumelelo Mhlongo
Recreational Body of the Year
Local Surf Lounge Academy, Skateistan (Guateng), Fight With Insight (Gauteng)
Sportswoman of the Year
Tatjana Schoenmaker (swimming), Bianca Buitendag (surfing), Lizelle Lee (cricket)
Photographer of the Year
Roger Sedres, Frennie Shivambu, Reinhardt Hamman
Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability
Anrunè Liebenberg-Weyers, Louzanne Coetzee and Guides: Estean Badenhorst & Claus Kempen, Sheryl James
Journalist of the Year
Thabiso Mosia, Robert Marawa, Timothy Molobi
Team of the Year
Springboks, Proteas Netball, Mens 4×100 Relay (athletics)
Sports Star of the Year
Tatjana Schoenmaker (swimming), Ntando Mahlangu (para-athletics), Siya Kolisi (rugby)
Newcomer of the Year
Ronald Brown (rugby), Minè De Klerk (athletics), Janneman Malan (cricket)
People’s Choice Sports Star of the Year
Siya Kolisi (rugby), Ntando Mahlangu (para-athletics), Tatjana Schoenmaker (swimming), Bianca Buitendag (surfing), Brad Binder (motorcycling)
Coach of the Year
Neil Cornelius, Rassie Erasmus, Rocco Meiring
Volunteer of the Year
Jodie Ellinor Dreyer, Owen Gabaotswe, Renuka Ramroop