SA Sports awards nominees announced

The Department of Sports and Recreation announced the South African Sports Awards Nominees on 15 October at a breakfast at the SABC in Auckland Park.

Olympic gold medalist Chad le Clos is once again running for the SA Sports Awards 2014 for Sports Star of the Year

Le Clos, will be running alongside Ernst van Dyk, Portia Modise, Khotso Mokoena, AB De Villiers and Duane Vermeulen.

Minister of Sports Fikile Mbalula singled out last year’s sports star Itumeleng Khune, who is enduring an injury.

The new Bafana Bafana head coach and Roodepoort resident Ephraim ‘Shakes’ Mashaba was also nominated for Coach of the Year Award. He will go against Graham Hill and Neil Powell.

The minister stated that the nominations aim to recognise true great sports stars. “I’m extremely proud of the men and women who have been nominated today as they have overcome great odds to be the best in their sporting codes,” he said. “The SA Sport Awards aims to honour these men and women who fly our country’s flag high,”

Westdene resident Lucas Sithole was also nominated for the Sportsman of the Year with a Disability Award. He would be competing against cyclist Ernst Francois van Dyk and Nicolas Pieter du Preez.

Tennis player Kgothatso Montjane, also from Westdene, was nominated for the Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability Award – she will compete against hand bike racer Justine Asher and paralympic swimmer Adri Visser.

The winners will be announced in November.

Public voting for the Sports Star of the Year winner are now open.

SA Sports Star of the Year Nominees:

A) Ernst van Dyk

B) Chad le Clos

C) Portia Modise

D) Khotso Mokoena

E) AB de Villiers

F) Duane Vermeulen

To vote for your favourite sports star, SMS the keyword SPORTS followed by the letter indicating your selection to 34760

Who will you nominate as your sports star?