Rasa 2019 finalists unveiled
The 2019 AUSC Region 5 Regional Sports Awards will take place at the Safari Court Hotel in Windhoek on 25 May.
Two Namibians, sports writer Limba Mupetami and para-athlete Ananias Shikongo, have been shortlisted as finalists for the 2019 African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Regional Sports Awards (Rasa 2019).
Surprisingly Helalia Johannes, Likius Nande, Jonas Junias and Tobias Nashilongo, who were all automatic nominees, were not shortlisted as finalists.
The voting process for the awards, hosted by the AUSC Region 5, began last Thursday, ahead of the awards ceremony that will take place in Windhoek on 25 May.
Three individuals were shortlisted per category. All nominees were automatically entered after winning their respective national awards.
Individuals were first nominated in groups of five to seven, before being trimmed down to the final three in each category.
Mupetami, from Namibian Sun, was among seven journalists who were initially nominated.
Namibian Sun's Kaino Nghitongo won in 2017.
Shikongo is in the running to win the sportsman of the year with a disability. South Africa's Caster Semenya is among the final nominees for the sportswoman and sportsperson of the year awards, while swimmer Chad Le Clos is contesting for sportsman of the year.
Nine of the 10 member countries entered the winners of their national sport awards as nominees, including Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, eSwatini, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The primary mandate of the AUSC Region 5 is to encourage all 10 member countries to host national sport awards preceding the regional awards.
The winners at country level are automatically entered as Rasa nominees.
AUSC Region 5 chairperson Vetumbuavi Veii said the awards have grown into prominence since their inception in 2016.
“As a region, we are building Rasa into a premier event, in line with the commercialisation strategy,” Veii said.
Since the inaugural edition, the awards have brought excitement and fierce competition, especially in member countries.
There is talk of having more activities in the week of the awards, in order to add more excitement and opportunities for the nominees, and for corporates to interact with citizens of the host country by getting involved in social responsibility initiatives.
In future, hosting will take place on a rotational basis and according to the alphabetical order of member countries.
AUSC Region 5 CEO Stanley Mutoya said the event has experienced exponential growth, given that at the inaugural edition in 2016, they only had five member countries taking part.
The list of final nominees is as follows:
Coach of the year
Gilbert Nyamutsamba: Rugby sevens (Zimbabwe)
Samuel Sepeng: Athletics (South Africa)
Christina Mkwanda-Msinji: Netball (Malawi national under-20 team)
Journalist of the year
Tinashe Tirivavi: The Mirror (Zimbabwe)
Motshidisi Mohono: (South Africa)
Limba Mupetami: Namibian Sun (Namibia)
Junior female sportsperson of the year
Moneyi Chingaipe: Athletics (Malawi)
Lorryn Ashley Bass: Rowing (Zimbabwe)
Manqabang Tsibela: Athletics (Lesotho)
Junior male sportsperson of the year
Kennedy Luchembe: Athletics (Zambia)
Blessings Kamanga: Chess (Malawi)
Ryan Gwidzima: Squash (Zimbabwe)
Sports team of the year
National relay athletics team (Botswana)
Banyana Banyana (South Africa)
Netball (Malawi)
Sportsman of the year
Isaac Makwala: Athletics (Botswana)
Wilfred Mashaya: Kubudo martial arts (Zimbabwe)
Chad Le Clos: Swimming (South Africa)
Sportsman of the year with a disability
Ndodanzi Jonathan Ntutu: Athletics T12 (South Africa)
Celestino Elias Antonio: Football (Angola)
Ananias Shikongo: Athletics T11 (Namibia)
Sportswoman of the year
Anisha Basheel: Boxing (Malawi)
Caster Semenya: Athletics (South Africa)
Lerato Sechele: Athletics (Lesotho)
Sportswoman of the year with a disability
Margaret Bangajena: Wheelchair racing (Zimbabwe)
Monica Munga: Athletics (Zambia)
Anrune Liebenberg: Athletics T47 (South Africa)
Sportsperson of the year
Wilfred Mashaya: Kubudo martial arts (Zimbabwe)
Anisha Basheel: Boxing (Malawi)
Caster Semenya: Athletics (South Africa)
Jesse Jackson Kauraisa
Surprisingly Helalia Johannes, Likius Nande, Jonas Junias and Tobias Nashilongo, who were all automatic nominees, were not shortlisted as finalists.
The voting process for the awards, hosted by the AUSC Region 5, began last Thursday, ahead of the awards ceremony that will take place in Windhoek on 25 May.
Three individuals were shortlisted per category. All nominees were automatically entered after winning their respective national awards.
Individuals were first nominated in groups of five to seven, before being trimmed down to the final three in each category.
Mupetami, from Namibian Sun, was among seven journalists who were initially nominated.
Namibian Sun's Kaino Nghitongo won in 2017.
Shikongo is in the running to win the sportsman of the year with a disability. South Africa's Caster Semenya is among the final nominees for the sportswoman and sportsperson of the year awards, while swimmer Chad Le Clos is contesting for sportsman of the year.
Nine of the 10 member countries entered the winners of their national sport awards as nominees, including Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, eSwatini, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The primary mandate of the AUSC Region 5 is to encourage all 10 member countries to host national sport awards preceding the regional awards.
The winners at country level are automatically entered as Rasa nominees.
AUSC Region 5 chairperson Vetumbuavi Veii said the awards have grown into prominence since their inception in 2016.
“As a region, we are building Rasa into a premier event, in line with the commercialisation strategy,” Veii said.
Since the inaugural edition, the awards have brought excitement and fierce competition, especially in member countries.
There is talk of having more activities in the week of the awards, in order to add more excitement and opportunities for the nominees, and for corporates to interact with citizens of the host country by getting involved in social responsibility initiatives.
In future, hosting will take place on a rotational basis and according to the alphabetical order of member countries.
AUSC Region 5 CEO Stanley Mutoya said the event has experienced exponential growth, given that at the inaugural edition in 2016, they only had five member countries taking part.
The list of final nominees is as follows:
Coach of the year
Gilbert Nyamutsamba: Rugby sevens (Zimbabwe)
Samuel Sepeng: Athletics (South Africa)
Christina Mkwanda-Msinji: Netball (Malawi national under-20 team)
Journalist of the year
Tinashe Tirivavi: The Mirror (Zimbabwe)
Motshidisi Mohono: (South Africa)
Limba Mupetami: Namibian Sun (Namibia)
Junior female sportsperson of the year
Moneyi Chingaipe: Athletics (Malawi)
Lorryn Ashley Bass: Rowing (Zimbabwe)
Manqabang Tsibela: Athletics (Lesotho)
Junior male sportsperson of the year
Kennedy Luchembe: Athletics (Zambia)
Blessings Kamanga: Chess (Malawi)
Ryan Gwidzima: Squash (Zimbabwe)
Sports team of the year
National relay athletics team (Botswana)
Banyana Banyana (South Africa)
Netball (Malawi)
Sportsman of the year
Isaac Makwala: Athletics (Botswana)
Wilfred Mashaya: Kubudo martial arts (Zimbabwe)
Chad Le Clos: Swimming (South Africa)
Sportsman of the year with a disability
Ndodanzi Jonathan Ntutu: Athletics T12 (South Africa)
Celestino Elias Antonio: Football (Angola)
Ananias Shikongo: Athletics T11 (Namibia)
Sportswoman of the year
Anisha Basheel: Boxing (Malawi)
Caster Semenya: Athletics (South Africa)
Lerato Sechele: Athletics (Lesotho)
Sportswoman of the year with a disability
Margaret Bangajena: Wheelchair racing (Zimbabwe)
Monica Munga: Athletics (Zambia)
Anrune Liebenberg: Athletics T47 (South Africa)
Sportsperson of the year
Wilfred Mashaya: Kubudo martial arts (Zimbabwe)
Anisha Basheel: Boxing (Malawi)
Caster Semenya: Athletics (South Africa)
Jesse Jackson Kauraisa
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