Track star Wayde van Niekerk and cycling sensation Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio walked away with the main awards at Sunday night’s annual South African Sports Awards.
Mangaung, Free State was the host of the 10th edition of the awards and a star-studded cast was in attendance at the Sand du Plessis Theatre.
Named Sportsman of the Year, Van Niekerk won gold in the 400-metre event at this year’s IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Beijing, China as well as setting SA records in the 400, 300 and 200m events during the course of the year.
Van Niekerk won three awards on the night, being named winner of the People’s Choice Awards as well as Sports Star of the Year.
Moolman-Pasio has also had an excellent year, winning the road and time trial titles at the SA Championships as well topping the GC list at the Auensteiner-Radsporttage event in Germany and becoming the first ever South African woman to break in to the world’s top 10 ranking.
Winning the 2015 awards for Sportsman and Sportswoman with a Disability were 2012 Paralympics wheelchair tennis player Lucas Sithole and fellow Paralympian Ilse Hayes, double gold medal-winner at the recent 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships as well as setting a new T12 100mrecord in Brazil earlier in the year.
Coach of the year went to Graham Hill, the veteran national swimming coach while the Blitzboks Sevens Rugby side were named team of the year.
The full list of winners:
Sports Star of the Year
Wayde van Niekerk
2015 People’s Choice Awards
Wayde van Niekerk
Steve Tshwete Lifetime Achievement Award
Rev Makhenkesi Arnold Stofile, Mohamed Margiet, Enos Mafokate, Dr Chomane Chomane
Sportsman of the Year
Wayde van Niekerk
Sportswoman of the Year
Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio
Volunteer of the Year
Nkosinathi Ngubane
Coach of the Year
Graham Hill
Sportswoman with a Disability
Ilse Hayes
Sportsman with a Disability
Lucas Sithole
Team of The Year
Springbok Sevens
Newcomer of the Year
Kagiso Rabada
Sport Journalist of the Year
Bareng-Batho Kortjaas
Photographer of the Year
Veli Nhlapo
Recreational Body of the Year
Indigo Skate Cam
Indigenous Games Star of the Year
KZN Dibeke Team
National Federation of the Year
Basketball SA
Administrator of The Year
Virginia Mabaso
School Team of the Year
St John’s College – Junior Men’s Pair
Developing School Team of the Year
Montshiwa Primary School