THE country's most outstanding athlete will be rewarded with a whooping N$100 000 in prize money, the MTC/ NSC Namibia Sport Awards organisers said yesterday.
That figure is N$80 000 more than what Johanna Benson pocketed last year when she won the prestigious Sport Achiever of the Year award.
Also, the prize money for the Sportsman/woman of the Year as well as the Disabled Sportsman/woman of the Year categories has increased from 15 000 to N$50 000 each.
All in all, this year's prizes are worth a combined N$$550 000, the biggest amount in the country's Sports Awards history to date.
The increment is primarily down to the contributions of Hollard Namibia and Coca Cola Namibia, who have sponsored the prizes of four and two categories respectively.
"Namibia's athletes have long been poorly rewarded despite their relentless efforts winning unprecedented acclaim for the country," said Awards Committee chairperson Amos Shiyuka.
“We are trying our best to reward our athletes who have done us proud,” Shiyuka told reporters at a press conference to announce this year's awards nominees."
“We have taken the step to move in this direction and we hope to take this even further. What we want is to improve the lives of our athletes and encourage them to perform to the best of their ability,” he added.
“We have to thank our sponsors for their generous support. Without their support this would not be possible. We have always maintained that we can only reward our athletes better if we can get more sponsors.”
Additionally, the Namibia Sports Commission will set up a special fund to help sustain athletes who have retired from competitive sport.
“We don't like to see our former heroes struggling to make ends meet. We want to keep them from begging on the streets. The fund is aimed at helping them start initiatives to sustain themselves,” Shiyuka said.
Another foreseeable highlight of the awards ceremony, which will be staged at the Windhoek Country Club on 25 October, is the planned appearance of South African Minister of Sport and Recreation Fikile Mbalula.
Mbalula was invited to the event at the behest of Namibian counterpart Jerry Ekandjo and is expected to deliver a motivational speech in keeping with the cooperative sport agreement between the two countries.
Tickets to the awards coast N$350 per person, while tables worth N$1 000 can also be booked.
The nominees are as follows:
Sports Achiever of the Year
Adrian Combrink (equestrian), Henrico Botes (football), Paulus Ambunda and Harry Simon (boxing)
Disabled Sportsman of the Year
Elias Ndimulunde , Ananias Shikongo, Martin Amutenya and Johannes Nambala (athletics), Gideon Nasilowski (swimming).
Disabled Sportswoman of the Year
Karlien Coleman (swimming), Johanna Benson, Albertina Johannes and Litwaui Johannes (athletics)
Sportsman of the Year
Paulus Ambunda, Immanuel Naidjala, Paulus Moses, Harry Simon, Bethuel Ushona (boxing)
Sportswoman of the Year
Vera Adrian (cycling), Riette Jacobs (karate), Tjipekapora Herunga (athletics), Danielle Schmidt (inline hockey)
Junior Sportsman of the Year
Junior Sportswoman of the Year
Zanre Oberholzer (swimming), Shakira Steyn (Karate), Lesedi Jacobs (tennis), Natasha Dieterich (fencing)
Disabled Junior Sportsman of the Year
