Top athletes awarded for spectacular achievements

The top athletes that represented Athletics Central North West (ACNW) with pride, both locally and internationally during the 2022 athletics season, were rewarded for their efforts. The cream of the crop was awarded with certificates and trophies at an award ceremony held at the Green Meadows Lifestyle Village on 25 January 2022. The major awards …

February 6, 2023

Wouter Pienaar 2 minutes read

ACNW president, Jean Verster with one of the ACNW Track and Field athletes of the Year, Emél Keyser. Photo: Wouter Pienaar.

The top athletes that represented Athletics Central North West (ACNW) with pride, both locally and internationally during the 2022 athletics season, were rewarded for their efforts.

The cream of the crop was awarded with certificates and trophies at an award ceremony held at the Green Meadows Lifestyle Village on 25 January 2022.

The major awards for Athletes of the Year went to javelin thrower, Jo-Ané van Dyk, and 110 metres hurdler and SA record holder, Emél Keyser.

Van Dyk was superb in 2022 winning gold at the African Championships as well as setting a new personal best distance of 61.61 metres in Austria.

Tumelo Motlagale was awarded the ACNW road runner of the year accolade for his win at the SA Marathon Championships in Durban.

Dino Nako won the Cross Country Athlete of the Year award for his stunning achievements in the discipline.

Shaun Bownes, coach of Keyser, stated that he was privileged to have his top athletes perform well in 2022.

Shaun Bownes and his athlete, Emél Keyser with the ACNW Athlete of the Year award. Photo: Wouter Pienaar.

“Emél (Keyser) competed at the World Junior Athletics Championships in Cali, and unfortunately I could not be there as I had to be in Birmingham at the time as coach of the SA team during the 2022 Commonwealth Games,” stated Bownes.

Bownes also represented SA as coach at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon in the United States.

He also stated that it was a special moment to watch his athlete, Liezel Gouws, participating at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

“It is a privilege to learn news things and to have two athletes (Liezel Gouws, SA team Commonwealth Games and Keyser) as part of the SA squads. Hard work really pays pays off and it makes everything worth it,” added Bownes.

List of award winners:

Track & Field

Gold Medal at National Championships 2022

Marizel Meintjes

Amoné Le Roux

Daniëlle Verster

Janise Nell

Karmen Fouché

Emél Keyser

Jo-Ané Van Dyk

Marissa Swanepoel

Johann Grobler