Long-jumper Manyonga going places with win
Province’s top sports achievers recognised
Luvo Manyonga won a brandnew hatchback when he was crowned sports star of the year for the second time running at the Eastern Cape Sport & Recreation Achievers Awards at a glittering ceremony at the East London ICC on Friday night.
The Dordrecht-born longjump world champion, who is currently competing abroad, was honoured for his stellar performances on the global stage, after having once been addicted to drugs.
He is now dominating at the prestigious IAAF Diamond League and his siblings accepted the prize on his behalf.
Manyonga also won the award last year, and this time around he faced stiff competition from local powerlifting gold medallist, Elizabeth Barry from Port Elizabeth.
Barry won a bronze medal at the Czech World Championships, and a number of gold medals at the SA National Championships, and she was thrilled to be recognised at home after picking up the sportswoman of the year award.
“I’m overwhelmed by this award, and it’s quite an honour to be here representing the sport of powerlifting,” said Barry.
“It’s a really proud moment for me and I think it’s a start of great things to come for the sport.”
Barry, an occupational therapist, started her powerlifting career eight years ago and she felt that it was starting to gain the recognition it deserved.
The Herald sports journalist Vuyokazi Nkanjeni, who also writes for the Daily Dispatch, scooped the journalist of the year award for the second time running.
Other big winners included young Tara Schwulst picking up the newcomer of the year award, Hudson Park High School winning the School Team of the Year award for the exploits of their cricket team and celebrated umpire Shaun George being named the Technical Official of the Year.
The rest of the award winners were: Recreation Body of the Year, EC Girl Guides; Photographer of the Year, Selby Madikane; Presenter of the Year, Vuyisa Kulase; Indigenous Games Star of the Year, Lesley Miggels; Indigenous Games Team of the Year, EC Jukskei; Volunteer of the Year, Zizo Papu; Developing School of the Year, Bongolethu Primary School; Sport Administrator of the Year, Sondisa Magajana; Coach of the Year, Gerhard Posthumus; Sport Team of the Year for persons with disability, Wheelchair Basketball EC; Sport Team of the Year, Eastern Cape Amateur Boxing; Federation of the year, EC Amateur Boxing; Sportswoman of the Year Golden Age, Nozukile Somlotha; Sportsman of the Year Golden Age, Robert Xavier; Sportswoman of the Year for persons with disability, Rentia Oosthuizen; Sportsman of the Year for persons with disability, Jaco Smit.
Department of sport, recreation, arts & culture MEC Fezeka Bayeni also honoured other deserving individuals who had played a vital role in sport development in the province with the recreation volunteer awards.
The recipients were: Isaac Barendse, Various Sporting Codes; Noluviwo Gogela, Indigenous Games/Golden Games; Msondezi Maswana, Indigenous Games, Ziphozihle Nkomonde, Various Sporting Codes; Nonkululeko Nohesi, Various Sporting Codes; Fezile Nyembe, Indigenous Games; Nombulelo Ntweke, Various Sporting Codes; Malehlohonolo Makae, Various Sporting Codes. Butterworth FC chairperson Banzi “Bra Ace” Siyongwana received the MEC’s excellence award.