The annual coveted SuperSport Let’s Play Sports Star of the Year Awards for Bloemfontein were held at the Windmill Casino Conference Centre to reward the 2019 jewels.
Held on Friday (15/11), the ceremony brought together the finalists who had won monthly awards based on merited performances in the various sporting codes they competed in this year.
The ceremony continued the tradition of partners SuperSport, Express and Spec-Savers rewarding future stars.
The nine finalists for Express and Bloem News respectively were each presented certificates, recognising excellence in their respective sporting codes. They qualified for the top accolade of SuperSport Let’s Play Sports Star of the Year.
First, second and third places were awarded for each of the newspaper partners, with Spec-Savers sponsoring prizes for the overall winners.
The SuperSport Let’s Play Sports Star of the Year for Express is Andile Mgoduka (18) of the Pholoho School in Bloemfontein.
He was duly chosen for achievements in bocce at regional, provincial and national competitions of the South African Sports Association for the Physically Disabled.
Andile’s highlight was winning a silver medal at the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi, held from 14 to 21 March.
Dimpho Motsie (16), a learner of St Michael’s School in Bloemfontein, was the first runner-up. She represented her school at inter-provincial hockey competitions and internationally.
Dimpho’s highlight was touring the Netherlands where her school competed in the annual Elsie Coetzer Hockey School Invitational Tournament in Amsterdam from 22 September to 3 October this year.
She was vice-captain of the team and was the youngest in the senior team.
Lucky Moleyane (16), a learner of Grey College in Bloemfontein, was the second runner-up for his remarkable achievements in 100 m and 200 m sprinting.
Lucky’s highlight was to break a Grey College record of 22.10 in the 200 m, which had stood more than three decades.
He set a record of 21.49 in the 200 m sprinting event at the school’s track and field meeting in January.
The previous record had been set in 1983 by sprinters Ian Small-Smith and Pierre Swart, respectively.
Lucky also achieved a personal best in the 100 m in 10.64 at the South African Youth and Junior Track and Field Championship for u.18 and u.20 athletes in the Paarl in March.
He finished sixth overall, being the youngest sprinter who reached the final.
