Cosafa heroes up for national awards

THE Brave Warriors triumphant 2015 Cosafa Cup campaign is set to yield more success as the main protagonists of that famous victory were yesterday shortlisted for further rewards at the upcoming Namibia Sports Awards.

The annual ceremony, which rewards the country’s top performing sport personalities over the past 12 months, takes place in Windhoek on Friday.

After leading Namibia to a first ever international football title, Ricardo Mannetti is nominated for the Coach of the Year prize, along with the world champion producing Nestor Tobias.

They are up against Disability Sport Namibia’s Peter Wilson, cricket coach Rangarirai Manyande and karate instructor Simataa Francis.

Young Brave Warriors combative midfielder Wangu Batista Gome, who won the Cosafa Cup tournament’s best player award has been short-listed for the Sportsman of the Year prize, while teammate Peter Shalulile’s meteoric rise to prominence this year has earned him a nomination for Most Improved Sportsperson category.

Gome is vying for the top able-bodied men’s prize against IBO super bantamweight world champion Paulus ‘The Rock’ Ambunda; Welwitschias hard-man and recently retired captain Jacques Burger; cricketer Bernard Scholtz; and triathlete Jean-Paul Burger.

Meanwhile, Shalulile’s rivals include para-athlete Tobias Moses, cyclist Johannes Hamunyela, endurance athlete Ruben van der Walt and boxer Mathias Hamuyela, who won an All Africa Games silver medal.

Additionally, the Brave Warriors are on the shortlist for the Team of the Year award, along with the national women’s senior cycling team, Welwitschias, national under-19 men’s cricket team, and archery’s national youth team.

The complete list of finalists is as follows:

Administrator of the Year – Erwin Handura (hockey), Günther Rust (volleyball), Hans Hashagen (rugby).

Coach of the Year – Ricardo Mannetti (football), Nestor Tobias (boxing), Peter Wilson (Disability Sport Namibia), Rangarirai Manyande (cricket), Simataa Francis (karate).

Development Programme of the Year – Namibia Football Association , Namibia Ice and Inline Hockey Association, Namibia Volleyball Federation, Namibia Tennis Association.

Junior Sportsman of the Year – Tristan de Lange (cycling), Oliver Hoffmann (shooting), Xander Reddig (archery), Lushano Lamprecht (swimming), Zane Green (cricket).

Junior Sportsman with Disability of the Year – Fillipus Kotokeni, Abraham Hafenanje, Mateus Kambundu.

Junior Sportswoman with Disability of the Year – Caitlire Botha, Rosa Mandjoro, Lahja Omangano Ishitile.

Junior Sportswoman of the Year – Sylvia Schulz (athletics), Zanre Oberholzer (swimming), Katja Serrer (gymnastics), Katelin Shannon (karate), Lesedi Jacobs (tennis).

Sportsman of the Year – Bernard Scholtz (cricket), Paulus Ambunda (boxing), Wangu Batista Gome (football), Jean-Paul Burger (triathlon), Jacques Burger (rugby).

Sportsman with Disability of the Year – Ruben Gowaseb, Ananias Shikongo, Ruben Soroseb, Johannes Ipuleni.

Sportswoman with Disability of the Year – Johanna Katjikuru, Hambeleleni Makanda, Johanna Benson.

Sportswoman of the Year – Michelle Vorster (cycling), Michelle Künzle (equestrian), Gaby Ahrens (shooting), Zenatha Coleman (football), Daniela Lindemeier (swimming).

Team of the Year – men’s senior national football team, women’s senior national cycling team, men’s senior rugby national team, men’s under-19 national cricket team, national archery youth team.

Volunteer of the Year – Keith Allies (Nawisa), Wessel Kotze (Welwitschias).

Most Improved Sportsperson of the Year – Tobias Moses (Disability Sport Namibia), Johannes Hamunyela (cycling), Peter Shalulile (football), Mathias Hamunyela (boxing), Ruben van der Walt (endurance sport).

Tickets are available to members of the public who wish to be part of Namibian sport’s most glamorous evening of the year for N$300 per head. Corporate tables seating ten people can also be booked for N$10 000.