adminGrace Chingoma Sports Reporter
BODYBUILDER Hellen Sinclair Costa, who is the current IBFF Ms International Fitness Figure and Miss Universe Figure, is this year’s Sportsperson of the Year after she scooped the top prize at the Annual National Sports Awards gala held last night in Harare.
For winning the top accolade Sinclair went home $5 000 richer.
She took over the Sportsperson title from boxing champion Charles Manyuchi, who won the award last year.
The 35-year-old athlete won the two international titles at the World Mr and Ms Universe which was held in Italy in October.
The night belonged to Sinclair as she also won the Sportswoman of the Year award beating swimming icon Kirsty Coventry and rower Micheen Thornycroft.
It was a women’s affair as motocross young rider Tanya Muzinda also shone last night, winning a double after scooping the Junior Sportsperson of the Year Award and the Junior Sportswoman of the Year award.
The 10-year-old rider, who has been the only female rider in the country for the last few years, in October also won the Zimbabwe International Women’s Award in England.
Muzinda has managed to put motocross, which has been regarded as an “elite sport” and a preserve for whites, on the map and claiming its spot among the popular sporting disciplines.
Muzinda pocketed $2 500 from Shumba Maheu for winning the Junior Sportsperson of the Year.
However, it was not all gloom for boxer Manyuchi, who many had tipped to retain the Sportsperson of the Year award, as he managed to retain the Sportsman of the Year Award while rower Kyle Hinde won the Junior Sportsman of the Year.
Another big winner on the night was golfer Dadirai Jack, who won the Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability Award.
The Sportsman of the Year Award (Disability) was won by athletics T12 star Lucky Chitembe.
The Junior Sportsman of the Year with a Disability award went to Michael Mudyanadzo.
Athletics T13 Special Olympics Nyasha Karima won the Junior Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability.
However, the shocker of the night was when the senior netball team was crowned the Team of the Year ahead of Zimbabwe senior national women’s soccer team, the Mighty Warriors.
The netball team won the African Netball Championships in Botswana this year.
But the continental achievement was surpassed by the Mighty Warriors, who made history as they became the first team sport to qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro next year.
The Mighty Warriors were also honoured by the Confederation of African Football as they were shortlisted for the CAF African Team of the Year following their exploits.
But the Sports Commission judges panel, chaired by Titus Zvomuya, felt otherwise and rewarded the netball team.
Netball team mentor Ledwin Dondo, who has also been in the trenches with the team for a long time claimed the Coach of the Year award.
Basketball’s Joyce Muchenu won the Technical Official of the Year while the Sports Administration of the Year Award went to Zimbabwe Karate Union.
ZKU also won the Sport Development of the Year award.
The corporate world and sponsors who were also outstanding in assisting various sporting disciplines were rewarded with a Special Acknowledgement Award. These include PHD Ministries, Zimplats, City of Harare, Plan Zimbabwe Kwekwe, Daniel Moyo and Stanlous Nyachowe.
Meanwhile, athletics legend Bernard Dzoma, tennis star Patricia Molly Pretorius, squash Gay Alison Erskine, swimmer John Keyter and the late football legend Freddy Mkwesha were also inducted into the Hall of Fame for serving their country and disciplines with distinction and honour.
Awards
SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR
Helen Costa Sinclair — Bodybuilding
JUNIOR SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR
Tanyaradzwa Muzinda — Motor Racing
JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
Tanyaradzwa Muzinda — Motor Racing
JUNIOR SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Kyle Hinde — Rowing
JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN OF
THE YEAR WITH A DISABILITY
Nyasha Karima — Athletics T13 Special Olympics
JUNIOR SPORTSMAN OF
THE YEAR WITH A DISABILITY
Michael Mudyanadzo — Golf Special Olympics
SPORTS WOMAN OF THE
YEAR WITH A DISABILITY
Dadirai Jack — Golf Special Olympics
SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
Helen Costa Sinclair — Bodybuilding
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Charles Manyuchi — Boxing
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
WITH A DISABILITY
Lucky Chitembe — Athletics T12
TEAM OF THE YEAR
Senior Netball Team
COACH OF THE YEAR
Ledwin Dondo — Coach Senior Netball Team
TECHNICAL OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR
Joyce Muchenu — Basketball
SPORTS ADMINISTRATION OF THE YEAR Zimbabwe Karate Union
SPORT DEVELOPMENT OF THE YEAR
Zimbabwe Karate Union
WOMEN IN SPORT AWARD
Mary Kloppers: Zimbabwe Aquatic Union (Swimming and Water Polo)
SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AWARD
PHD, Zimplats, City of Harare, Daniel Moyo, Plan Zimbabwe, Kwekwe, Stanlous Nyachowe
Hall of Fame
Bernard Dzoma — Athletics
Patricia Molly Pretorius — Tennis
Gay Alison Erskine — Squash
John Keyter — Swimming
Freddy Mkwesha — Football
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