RENOWNED boxer Charles Manyuchi got an early Christmas present on Wednesday night as he was crowned Sportsperson of the Year and Sportsman of-the-Year at the Annual National Sports Awards in Harare.
Manyuchi won a double, shrugging off competition from golfer Scott Vincent and karateka, Winston Nyanhete. Earlier this year, Manyuchi beat Ghana’s Patrick Allotey to win the World Boxing Council (WBC) title that he successfully defended last month against Colombian Delvis Navarro.
Last year, the Sports and Recreational Commission recognised his efforts and he was voted Sportsman of-the-Year.
The awards on Wednesday also saw the crowning of the Zimbabwe Davis Cup team as the Team of-the-Year. The team of non-playing captain Martin Dzuwa, Takanyi Garan’anga, Mark Fynn, Tinotenda Chanakira and Benjamin Lock played in the Euro/Africa Zone III in Egypt and qualified into the Euro/Africa Zone II.
For that, the team is the highest achiever this year.We hope the team manages to overcome the financial woes bedevilling the sport.
The team will play Bosnia-Herzegovina in March next year.It was also a colourful night for Munyaradzi Musariri (golf) who was crowned Junior Sportsman of-the-Year with a Disability ahead of Lovemore Chimufombo (athletics) and Batanayi Muroyiwa (athletics).
The Junior Sportswoman of-the-Year award was for the athletes as Patricia Bhebhe, Ashley Matanhire and Talent Kasera won gold, silver and bronze medals respectively. Last year’s Sportsperson of-the-Year Cara Black only got the Sportswoman of-the-Year award this time and had to outdo golfer Yollander Mubaiwa and athlete Rutendo Nyahora.
The awards
1. Junior Sports Woman of-the-Year
Rebekah Oberholzer — BMX (Gold)
Daniella Cara Du Toit — Rowing (Silver)
EnritaNcube — Athletics (Bronze)
2. Junior Sportsman of-the-Year
Kyle Cameron Hinde — Rowing (Gold)
Drew Michael Williams — Triathlon (Silver)
Raphael Mukondiwa — Karate (Bronze)
3. Junior Sports Woman of-the-Year with
a Disability
Patricia Bhebhe — Athletics (Gold)
Ashley Matanhire — Athletics (Silver)
Talent Kasera — Athletics (Bronze)
4. Junior Sportsman of-the-Year with a
Disability
MunyaradziMusariri — Golf (Gold)
LovemoreChimufombo — Athletics
(Silver)
BatanayiMuroyiwa — Athletics (Bronze)
5. Sports Woman of-the-Year
Cara Black — Tennis (Gold)
YollanderMubaiwa — Golf (Silver)
Rutendo Nyahora — Athletics (Bronze)
6. Sportsman of-the-Year
Charles Manyuchi — Boxing (Gold)
Scott Vincent — Golf (Silver)
Winston Nyanhete — Karate (Bronze)
7. Sportswoman of-the-year with a
Disability
Thandiwe Ndlovu — Wheelchair Racing
(Gold)
Margret Bangajena — Wheelchair Racing
(Silver)MagadalineMadzivire —
Wheelchair
Racing (Bronze)
8. Sportsman of-the-year with a
Disability
Viren Mehta — Golf (Gold)
ElfordMoyo — Wheelchair Racing
(Silver)
Samson Muroyiwa — Wheelchair Racing
(Bronze)9. Junior Sports person of-the-
Year
Rebekah Oberholzer — BMX
10. Sports Person of-the-Year
Charles Manyuchi — (Boxing)
11. Team of-the-year
Zimbabwe Davis Cup Team — Tennis
12. Coach of-the-Year
Tshuma Philip — Junior Golf Team
13. Technical Official of-the-Year
Rick Fulton — (Gold)
Muchenu — (Silver)
Patrick Mukondiwa — (bronze)
14. Sports Administration of-the-Year
Zimbabwe Karate Union
15. Sport Development of-the-Year
National Darts Association of Zimbabwe
16. Women in Sport Award
Joanne Lyn Swanepoel — Rowing
17. Special Acknowledgement Award
17.1 Provincial
Ragi Mood
Glo Petroleum
17.2 National
Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe (CBZ)
NetOne,
Dairiboard Zimbabwe
Nestle Zimbabwe