Schoenmaker, Kolisi and Mahlangu lead SA Sports Awards nominations

Olympic 200 metres breaststroke champion Tatjana Schoenmaker, double Paralympics champion Ntando Mahlangu and Springbok rugby captain Siya Kolisi headline the list of nominees for this year’s SA Sport Awards (Sasa).

SA athletes and officials, who excelled on the international stage will be honoured in the ceremony on Saturday at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC).

This year’s awards will cover 16 categories that include the Sport Star of the Year and People’s Choice Athlete of the Year awards.

Schoenmaker won gold and silver at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Mahlangu claimed two gold medals during the Paralympics in Tokyo while Kolisi led the Springboks to a series win over the British & Irish Lions.

Due to a two-year break in the SA Sports Awards due to Covid-19, the period under review for this edition goes back to September 1 2019. So that means Kolisi leading the Springboks to victory in the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan (September 20 to November 2 2019) would come under consideration.

Schoenmaker, Mahlangu and Kolisi will be up against each other in the main category of SA Sports Star of the Year, and will also be the favourites for the People’s Choice award voted for by the public.

“SA’s top sport and recreation practitioners and members of the media will be honoured again this year, after a two-year hiatus due to the national state of disaster that interrupted the sporting fraternity, which limited sporting events,” the Department of Sport said in a statement.

“These awards are particularly significant because they recognise the resilience demonstrated by the athletes. In addition, the awards highlight the Olympic year that acknowledges great achievements from our 2019 Olympic and Paralympic participants.

“The awards carry a total of 16 categories including the Sport Star of the Year award and the People’s Choice Athlete of the Year award. All categories recognise performances from the individuals, teams and administrators of the SA sporting fraternity for the period under review (September 1 2019 to August 31 2021).”

Full SA Sport Awards 2021 Nominees

Sports Star of the Year: Tatjana Schoenmaker, Ntando Mahlangu, Siya Kolisi

Sport Awards People’s Choice: Ntando Mahlangu, Brad Binder, Siya Kolisi, Bianca Buitendag, Tatjana Schoenmaker

Sportsman of the Year: Greg Minnaar, Matthew Sates, Makazole Mapimpi

Sportsman of the Year with a Disability: Pieter du Preez, Ntando Mahlangu, Mpumelelo Mhlongo

Sportswoman of the Year: Tatjana Schoenmaker, Bianca Buitendag, Liezelle Lee

Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability: Anruné Liebenberg-Weyers, Louzanne Coetzee and Guides, Estean Badenhorst and Claus Kempen Sheryl James

Team of the Year: Springboks, Spar Proteas Netball, Men’s 4x100 Relay

Newcomer of the Year: Ronald Brown, Miné de Klerk, Janneman Malan

Coach of the Year: Neil Cornelius, Johan (Rassie) Erasmus, Rocco Meiring

Sport Administrator of the Year: Ndumiso Njabulo Nyawose, Cornelia Swanepoel, Anne Vermaak

Volunteer of the Year: Jodie Ellinor Dreyer, Owen Gabaotswe, Renuka Ramoop

Indigenous Games Team of the Year: Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape

National Federation of the Year: SASAPD, Surfing, SA Rugby

Recreation Body of the Year: Local Surf Lounge Academy, Skateistan (Gauteng), Fight With Insight (Gauteng)

Photographer of the Year: Roger Sedres, Frennie Shivambu, Reinhardt Hamman

Journalist of the Year: Timothy Molobi, Thabiso Mosia, Robert Marawa