BOTSWANA’S sports minister Tshekedi Khama has urged Region Five to capitalise on the commercial value of their sports stars and make the industry self-sustaining.
Speaking at the African Union Sports Council Region Five Annual Sports Awards in Windhoek on Saturday, Khama said more should be done to harness more from the event and world-class athletes such as South African track queen Caster Semenya, who scooped a double on the night.
“It is a challenge to all of us to collectively work hard in order to ensure transformation of sports into a thriving and viable business that can harness the excellence we celebrate today into transferable commercial value,” Khama said in his keynote address.
“We have to make sports the dynamic economic driver and self-sustainable to avoid over-reliance on government funding.
As a region, we have to do everything possible in order to continue supporting our sportsmen and women to reach the best of their potential, and make a loud statement to the entire world that indeed, Region Five is a home of innovation and excellence,” he implored.
“We are working to engage captains of industry in a consultative forum to put in place a sustainable framework for the commercialisation of sports through investment, value-addition and benefaction of our sporting products and services.”
The organisers were left disappointed that Semenya and other leading lights, like decorated compatriot Chad le Clos and Botswana’s track star Isaack Makwala, did not attend the ceremony.
Semenya won the main prize of sportsperson of the year, to go with the sportswoman of the year award, as reward for her 800m and 1 500m double gold during last year’s Commonwealth Games at Australia’s Gold Coast.
She recently lost an appeal against International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) rules governing testosterone levels in women athletes, and is said to be preparing for a race in Paris, France, where she intends to run in the 2 000m.
She has also entered the 3 000m at the Prefontaine Classic, which this year is being held in Stanford, USA on 30 June.
At longer distances, Semenya, who won her Olympic golds at 800m, can compete without reducing her testosterone levels.
“Let your will be done, and blessed beyond,” Semenya tweeted in reaction to her awards.
While she was odds on to win both prizes, there was an unexpected winner in the sportsman of the year category, as Zimbabwean martial artist Wilfred Mashaya beat favourite South African Commonwealth Games triple medallist Le Clos to the prize.
“I never thought that one day I would stand before you, winning such an accolade. I’m grateful to the Almighty for choosing this son of Africa, and for giving me this talent to conquer the world,” Mashaya said.
Mashaya became Africa’s first-ever Kobudō world champion in Spain last year, and was subsequently inducted into the Barcelona martial arts hall of honours after being voted the best Kobudō martial artist for the year 2018 in the World Cup Weapons Forms Martial Arts Competition.
Kobudō is a form of martial arts that originated among the Okinawa people of Japan, involving the use of ancient weapons.
“I’m so proud that I’ve managed to pioneer one of the minority sports, which is mainly known in countries such as Japan, China and America. Since I was young, I was experimental. I didn’t know that it would lead me here. I’m so happy,” Mashaya continued.
“I want to thank the commissioner general of police and the ZRP [Zimbabwe Republic Police] family for sponsoring me, and believing in me when no one believed in me. You know when you are starting, when nobody knows you, it’s very tough.”
Zimbabwe won three categories on the night, as South Africa dominated the awards with four prizes. Host Namibia, represented by Para-athlete Ananias Shikongo and journalist Limba Mupetami, came out empty-handed.
Full Rasa 2019 recipients: junior sportswoman of the year – Moneyi Chingaipe (Malawi); junior sportsman of the year – Kennedy Luchembe (Zambia); sportsman of the year with disability – Jonathan Ntutu (South Africa); sportswoman of the year with disability – Anrune Liebenberg (South Africa); sports team of the year – Banyana Banyana (South Africa); coach of the year – Gilbert Nyamutsamba (Zimbabwe), confederation of the year – Cana Zone IV; sports journalist of the year – Tinashe Tirivavi (Zimbabwe); AUSC Region Five award – Zambia; sportsman of the year – Wilfried Mashaya (Zimbabwe); sportswoman of the year – Caster Semenya (South Africa); and sports person of the year – Caster Semenya (South Africa).
BOTSWANA’S sports minister Tshekedi Khama has urged Region Five to capitalise on the commercial value of their sports stars and make the industry self-sustaining.
Speaking at the African Union Sports Council Region Five Annual Sports Awards in Windhoek on Saturday, Khama said more should be done to harness more from the event and world-class athletes such as South African track queen Caster Semenya, who scooped a double on the night.
“It is a challenge to all of us to collectively work hard in order to ensure transformation of sports into a thriving and viable business that can harness the excellence we celebrate today into transferable commercial value,” Khama said in his keynote address.
“We have to make sports the dynamic economic driver and self-sustainable to avoid over-reliance on government funding.
As a region, we have to do everything possible in order to continue supporting our sportsmen and women to reach the best of their potential, and make a loud statement to the entire world that indeed, Region Five is a home of innovation and excellence,” he implored.
“We are working to engage captains of industry in a consultative forum to put in place a sustainable framework for the commercialisation of sports through investment, value-addition and benefaction of our sporting products and services.”
The organisers were left disappointed that Semenya and other leading lights, like decorated compatriot Chad le Clos and Botswana’s track star Isaack Makwala, did not attend the ceremony.
Semenya won the main prize of sportsperson of the year, to go with the sportswoman of the year award, as reward for her 800m and 1 500m double gold during last year’s Commonwealth Games at Australia’s Gold Coast.
She recently lost an appeal against International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) rules governing testosterone levels in women athletes, and is said to be preparing for a race in Paris, France, where she intends to run in the 2 000m.
She has also entered the 3 000m at the Prefontaine Classic, which this year is being held in Stanford, USA on 30 June.
At longer distances, Semenya, who won her Olympic golds at 800m, can compete without reducing her testosterone levels.
“Let your will be done, and blessed beyond,” Semenya tweeted in reaction to her awards.
While she was odds on to win both prizes, there was an unexpected winner in the sportsman of the year category, as Zimbabwean martial artist Wilfred Mashaya beat favourite South African Commonwealth Games triple medallist Le Clos to the prize.
“I never thought that one day I would stand before you, winning such an accolade. I’m grateful to the Almighty for choosing this son of Africa, and for giving me this talent to conquer the world,” Mashaya said.
Mashaya became Africa’s first-ever Kobudō world champion in Spain last year, and was subsequently inducted into the Barcelona martial arts hall of honours after being voted the best Kobudō martial artist for the year 2018 in the World Cup Weapons Forms Martial Arts Competition.
Kobudō is a form of martial arts that originated among the Okinawa people of Japan, involving the use of ancient weapons.
“I’m so proud that I’ve managed to pioneer one of the minority sports, which is mainly known in countries such as Japan, China and America. Since I was young, I was experimental. I didn’t know that it would lead me here. I’m so happy,” Mashaya continued.
“I want to thank the commissioner general of police and the ZRP [Zimbabwe Republic Police] family for sponsoring me, and believing in me when no one believed in me. You know when you are starting, when nobody knows you, it’s very tough.”
Zimbabwe won three categories on the night, as South Africa dominated the awards with four prizes. Host Namibia, represented by Para-athlete Ananias Shikongo and journalist Limba Mupetami, came out empty-handed.
Full Rasa 2019 recipients: junior sportswoman of the year – Moneyi Chingaipe (Malawi); junior sportsman of the year – Kennedy Luchembe (Zambia); sportsman of the year with disability – Jonathan Ntutu (South Africa); sportswoman of the year with disability – Anrune Liebenberg (South Africa); sports team of the year – Banyana Banyana (South Africa); coach of the year – Gilbert Nyamutsamba (Zimbabwe), confederation of the year – Cana Zone IV; sports journalist of the year – Tinashe Tirivavi (Zimbabwe); AUSC Region Five award – Zambia; sportsman of the year – Wilfried Mashaya (Zimbabwe); sportswoman of the year – Caster Semenya (South Africa); and sports person of the year – Caster Semenya (South Africa).
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