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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S tennis ace Cara Black consolidated her status among the elite athletes when she was crowned the Sportsperson of the Year ahead of favourite Samson Muripo at a function held at Rainbow Towers in Harare last night. The 34-year-old became the first person to complete a hat-trick in 2011 when she scooped the award for the third time having won it in 2006 and 2007. This the fourth time that she won the Sportsperson of the Year award.
Black returned to the tour early this year after a year-and-a-half break following the birth of her first child. The top Zimbabwean female tennis player had a strong comeback on the professional circuit as she won three times on the WTA tour starting with the ASB Classic in January before completing the season with back-to-back titles in Japan and China.
Cara was also named the Sportswoman of the Year beating Olympic rower, Micheen Thornycroft and hockey player Rachel Goromonzi. Thornycroft had a good year after she finished in the top 10 at the World Championships in August and she is the reigning African champion in the women’s singles sculls.
Muripo, who was strongly tipped to win the Sportsperson of the Year award was crowned the Sportsman of the Year ahead of boxer Charles Manyuchi and tennis star Takanyi Garanganga.
The seasoned karateka won gold and a silver medal at the So-Kyokushin Cup International tournament in the heavyweight category in China in October. He also won a bronze medal in Bulgaria during another World Kyokushin Championships.
Despite Zimbabwean athletes having had an indifferent year on the international arena, those achievements were, however, not enough to earn Muripo the prestigious Sportsperson of the Year Award.
Peter Purcell Gilpin is this year’s Junior Sportsman of the Year. Gilpin made it a double as he also walked away with the Junior Sportsman of the year Award beating fellow rower Faber Murray Lauchlan and Michael Songore from athletics.
Coach of the Year Award went to rowing coach, Rachel Davies.
Davies is behind the success story of Thornycroft who has made some headlines and considering that rowing is not among the popular sports in the country, the sporting discipline seems to be finding its way to the top.
Warriors coach Ian Gorowa and Wayne Davidson from triathlon settled for second and third position.
The Under-19 beach volleyball team, who wrote their own piece of history early this year when they qualified for the FIVB World Championships won the Team of the Year award.
They were followed by the national cricket side and the Warriors but both teams’ inclusion raises eyebrows given their largely poor shows.
The Warriors might have made some amends by qualifying for the African Nations Championships and finishing runners-up in the Cosafa Cup but that did not mask the fact that they completed their worst ever World Cup qualifying campaign in which they finished winless and bottom of their group in the race for the 2014 jamboree in Brazil.
Veteran wheelchair racer Elford Moyo claimed the Sportsman of the year with a disability, beating the pair of Edmund Makutya and Daniel Nyuke.
National BMX Association of Zimbabwe won the Sport Development of the year Award.
Awards
Sportsperson of the Year
Cara Black
Junior Sports person of the Year
Peter Purcell Gilpin
Sportsman of the Year
1. Samson Muripo (karate), 2.Charles Manyuchi (boxing), 3. Takanyi Garanganga (tennis)
Sportswoman of the Year
1. Cara Black (tennis), 2. Micheen Thornycroft (rowing), 3. Rachel Goromonzi (hockey).
Sportsman of the Year with a Disability
1. Elford Moyo (wheelchair racing), 2. Edmund Makutya (wheelchair racing), 3.Daniel Nyuke (wheelchair basketball).
Sportswoman of the year with a Disability
1. Margret Bangajena (wheelchair racing), Dorcas Hwatira (wheelchair racing), 3. Moline Muza (wheelchair tennis).
Junior Sportsman of the Year
1. Peter Purcell Gilpin (rowing), 2. Faber Murray Lauchlan (rowing), 3.Michael Songore (athletics)
Junior Sportswoman of the Year
1. Laurelle Brown (triathlon), 2. Nicole Dzenga (tennis), 3.Ruvarashe Mzinde (athletics)
Junior Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability
1. Laina Sithole (T13 athletics), 2. Jenifer Zabamwe (T13 athletics), 3.Patience Majoni (IC athletics)
Junior Sportsman of the Year with a Disability
1. Brian Mafuvise (wheelchair tennis), 2. Shepherd Banda (wheelchair tennis), 3. Emmanuel Musara (T13 athletics).
Team of the year
1. National Under-19 team (beach volleyball), 2. Zimbabwe Cricket (cricket), 3. Zimbabwe Warriors (football).
Coach of the Year
1. Rachel Davies (rowing), 2. Ian Gorowa (football), 3. Wayne Davidson (Triathlon).
Technical Official of the Year
1. Ginny Ross (hockey), 2. Joyce Muchenu (basketball), 3. Rick Fulton (triathlon).
Sports Administration of the Year
1. Triathlon Zimbabwe, 2. Zimbabwe Karate Union, 3. Zimbabwe Ladies Golf Union.
Sport Development of the year
1. National BMX Association of Zimbabwe, 2.National Darts Association of Zimbabwe, 3. Zimbabwe Netball Association.
Women in Sport Award
1. Anna Mguni, 2. Eugenia Chidhakwa.
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