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Charles Manyuchi

Sports Reporter

AFTER being voted the Sports-person of the Year for the second time at the 2016 Annual National Sports Awards last Friday, Charles Manyuchi feels the award is a morale-booster ahead of his upcoming fight in Singapore, in March.The World Boxing Council welterweight silver champion is set to defend his title against Quadratillo Abduqaxorov from Uzbekistan on March 25. Manyuchi said it was an unexpected achievement before adding that it is such recognition that motivates athletes when they represent the country.

“I am happy and excited. I wasn’t expecting this. I thank God I have won the Sports-person of the Year and I will keep on working hard for 2017, to win again. I didn’t know that I am the only one who achieved more than the others.

“I think motivating the athlete is the key to winning because if you are happy you can go and win. But for me with or without motivation I mean business when I go into the ring. I have to win and I am going to win,” said Manyuchi.

Manyuchi, who was supposed to leave for his training base in Zambia on Sunday, is now expecting to leave before the end of this week to step up his preparations for the March fight.

“I have few issues that I need to attend to but I should be leaving on Wednesday or Thursday.

“I am ready for it mentally. I only need to be physically ready but I think by end of February I will be 100 percent fit and I am going to win,” Manyuchi said.

He was first voted Sports-person of the Year in 2014.

For being crowned the 2016 Sports-person of the Year, Manyuchi got $3 000. Junior Sports-person of the Year, golfer Danielle Bekker got $1 500. Meanwhile, Special Olympics Zimbabwe have hailed golfer Munyaradzi Musariri for clinching the Sportsman of the Year with a Disability award.

“As Special Olympics Zimbabwe we are extremely proud of our athlete Munyaradzi Musariri for winning the Sportsman of the Year with a disability.

“We would like to thank the event organisers for honouring Munyaradzi, a young man full of passion and excellence. This is an extremely industrious young man who continues to display outstanding performance and is a beacon of hope and inspiration to others with intellectual disabilities.

“Special Olympics is particularly proud to be part of this yearly event. This is a true testament of embracing diversity through sport and we would like to thank the organisers for their recognition of our work as Special Olympics Zimbabwe,” read part of their statement.