Sports awards finally here!

• By Michael Uugwanga

THE much awaited MTC/Namibia Sports Commission (NSC)/Namibia Sport Awards are set to take place tomorrow in Windhoek.

All eyes will be on the two golden girls, athletes Christine Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi that are expected to dominate the proceedings at the event in particular for the Sportswoman of the Year category, Junior Sportswoman of the Year and the big one – the Sports Star of the Year award.

The two teenagers have been outstanding throughout the year, notably Mboma who became the first female from Namibia to win a silver medal at the Olympics after winning silver in the women 200m at the Tokyo Summer Games this year.

Mboma also won gold in the women 200m at the World Athletics U-20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya but before that she won herself an individual accolade when she scooped the women 200m heat at the Diamond League in Zurich.

Masilingi on the other hand won two silver medals in Nairobi, in the women 200m and in the 100m.

The two athletes will need to beat the country’s most decorated female Olympian marathon runner Helalia Johannes who is to date the country’s only athlete to have been at five consecutive Olympic Games.

Johannes is a bronze medalist winner at the 2019 World Championships in Doha.

Henk Botha coach of Mboma and Masilingi is favourite to win the Coach of the Year, but he will come up against other top contenders such as Letu Hamhola of Namibia Paralympic Committee and Granwd Douglas Dodds of canoe and rowing.

Below is the final list of nominees in all categories:

MTC-NASA Sportsman of the Year: Alexander Muller (cycling), Jonas Junias Jonas (boxing) and Tristan de Lange (cycling)

MTC-NASA Sportswoman of the Year: Beatrice Masilingi (athletics), Christine Mboma (athletics) and Helalia Johannes (athletics)

MTC-NASA Junior Sportsman of the Year: Dellano Muller (kickboxing), Magano Naseb (Namibia School Sport Union) and Ruan De Cuvalho (Namibia School Sport Union)

MTC-NASA Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Beatrice Masilingi (athletics) and Christine Mboma (athletics)

NAMPOWER-NASA Sportsman of the Year with a Disability: Ananias Shikongo, Johannes Nambala and Petrus Karuli (Namibia National Paralympic Committee)

NAMPOWER-NASA Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability: Johanna Benson, Lahya Ishitile and Sylvia Shivolo (Namibia National Paralympic Committee)

NAMPOWER-NASA Junior Sportsman of the Year with a Disability: Bradely Murere and Julien Rejive (Namibia National Paralympic Committee)

NAMPOWER-NASA Junior Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability: Aune Josef, Lahya Iipinge and Lize Meyer (Namibia National Paralympic Committee)

DEBMARINE Namibia-NASA Sports Team of the Year: 4x100m U20 Girls Relay Team (athletics), Cricket Senior Men’s Team (cricket) and Hockey Senior Women’s Team (hockey)

NASA Coach of the Year: Granwd Douglas Dodds (canoe and rowing),w Hendrick Botha (athletics), Letu Hamhola (Namibia National Paralympic Committee)

DEBMARINE NAMIBIA-NASA Umpire/Referee of the Year: Lazarus Nainda (professional boxing) and Twanyanyukwa Antsino (football)

NEPC-NASA Journalist of the Year in broadcasting: Castro Uulumbu (One Africa), Katrina Gowases (NBC), Limba Mupetami (Namibian Sun)

Print: Hesron Kapanaga (NAMPA), Sheefeni Nikodemus (The Namibian) and Michael Uugwanga (Confidente)

STANDARD BANK-NASA Sports Development Programme of the Year: Ashburton Kwata Cricket (cricket), The Standard Bank Junior Hockey Initiative (hockey) and Professional Education Training System (Namibia School Sport Union)

NSC-NASA Federation of the Year: Athletics Namibia (Athletics Namibia), Cricket Namibia (Cricket Namibia) and Namibia National Paralympic Committee (Namibia National Paralympic Committee).

DEBMARINE NAMIBIA-NASA Professional Shinning Star in the Diaspora: Maike Diekman (Canoe and Rowing) and Peter Shalulile (Football).

STANDARD BANK/DEBMARINE NAMIBIA-NASA Community Inspiration Award: Dellano Muller (kickboxing), School of Excellence Hockey Academy (Hockey) and Kasaona Football Academy (Football).

MTC-NASA Sports Star of the Year: Beatrice Masilingi, Christine Mboma and Helalia Johannes (all Athletics).