South African Sport Awards Shine Spotlight on Champions

• Tatjana Smith as a Double Winner: Swimmer Tatjana Smith was the standout at the awards, winning both Sportswoman of the Year and Sport Star of the Year.
• Team of the Year Achievement: The 4x100m Men’s Relay Team (Paris Olympics) received the Team of the Year award, recognizing their outstanding performance and contribution to South African athletics.
• Recognition of Rising Stars and Athletes with Disabilities: Emerging talents like Simoné Kruger and Mpumelelo Mhlongo were honored as Youth/Junior Sport Star of the Year and Sportsman of the Year with a Disability, respectively, showcasing diversity and promising future stars.

South Africa’s sporting fraternity gathered at the Sun City Superbowl on Sunday night for the 18th annual South African Sport Awards, a glittering celebration themed “Celebrating Sporting Excellence.” The event paid tribute to athletes, coaches, administrators, and media professionals whose passion and performances have inspired the nation.

Swimming sensation Tatjana Smith emerged as the night’s biggest winner, claiming both Sportswoman of the Year and the coveted Sport Star of the Year titles, while the 4x100m Men’s Relay Team (Paris Olympics) walked away with Team of the Year.

The awards showcased not only seasoned champions but also rising stars. Simoné Kruger, excelling in para athletics, was named both Youth/Junior Sport Star of the Year and Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability, while Mpumelelo Mhlongo secured Sportsman of the Year with a Disability.

Other winners included Alan Hatherly (Cycling) as Sportsman of the Year, Rocco Meiring (Swimming) as Coach of the Year, and Pholetsi Moseki (Cricket) as Sport Administrator of the Year. Made for More Zama (Para Surfing) took home Recreation Body of the Year, while Phuti Leolani was honoured as Sport Volunteer of the Year.

In recognition of excellence in sports media, Roger Sedres was named Sport Visual Journalist of the Year, and Palesa Manaleng walked away with Sports Media Journalist of the Year. The South African Rugby Union (SARU) received the National Federation of the Year award.