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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
DOMESTIC football’s stunning decline has once again been highlighted by the fact that none of its stars feature among the nominees for the 2014 Annual National Sports Awards.

The country’s number one sporting discipline does not provide a nominee either for the individual or team awards.

Its administrators are also missing on the list of nominees for the sports administrators of the year although some will argue that the ZIFA Northern Region leadership should have been included for the way they have injected life into their league.

Having revived their league by marrying it with a number of sponsors, some will feel that the ZIFA Northern Region leadership did more than the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Ladies Golf Union and the Zimbabwe Karate Union, who have been nominated for the award to recognise excellence in sports administration.

Sports Commission director general, Charles Nhemachena, yesterday said the Annual National Sports Awards were not only meant to recognise achievements by athletes but to also motivate aspiring athletes.

This year’s awards will be held on December 17 in Harare.

Speaking at the unveiling of this year’s finalists at their offices at the National Sports Stadium, Nhemachena said there was need to realise that the awards were also meant to inspire up-and-coming athletes.

“We meet as part of recognising sport and excellence. I know that we have varying degrees, varying levels of performance but the important thing is that on the one hand we want to recognise excellence and we want to recognise achievement,” said Nhemachena.

“But on the other we want to motivate those aspiring for excellence to be able to aim for something.

“I am saying this deliberately because we have seen in some sections of the press statements to the effect that we are celebrating mediocrity and so forth.

“I would want to say that is not really the position because we would want to make sure that even those who have, for one reason or another, not been able to get an opportunity to compete at regional level and at national level still get recognised for their exploits.”

The Sports Commission director general said they were happy to have Delta on board, sponsoring the event to a tune of US$30 000. Chairman of the Judges Panel for Ansa, Titus Zvomuya, said there was a notable improvement from last year in terms of the responses from the lower categories.

“There was a very significant improvement, especially in the lower categories, the junior sportsperson, people with a disability category and even with the sportswoman and sportsman categories.

“There were quite a number of entries and the competition in those categories was actually very stiff.

“I must say in the junior sportswoman and sportsman of the year categories we had over 15 entries with 90 percent of those entries qualifying to be in the top three but as to our job we had to separate them,” said Zvomuya.

The Sportsperson of the Year and the Junior Sportsperson of the Year will be announced on December 17 at a function in Harare.

Nominees

Sportsman of the Year

Charles Manyuchi (boxing), Winston Nyanhete (karate), Scott Vincent (golf).

Sportswoman of the Year

Cara Black (tennis), Yollander Mubaiwa (ladies golf) Rutendo Nyahora (athletics).

Junior Sportswoman on the Year

Cara Daniella Du Toit (rowing), Enlitha Ncube (athletics), Rebekah Oberholzer (BMX).

Junior Sportsman of the Year

Cameron Kyle Hinde (rowing), Raphael Mukondiwa (karate), Michael Drew Williams (triathlon).

Junior Sportswoman of the Year with a disability

Patricia Bhebhe (athletics visually impaired), Talent Kasera (athletics visually impaired), Ashley Matanhire (athletics visually impaired).

Junior Sportsman of the Year with a disability

Lovemore Chimufombo (athletics visually impaired), Batanayi Muroyiwa (athletics visually impaired), Munyaradzi Musariri (intellectual golf).

Sportswoman of the Year with a disability

Margret Bangajena (wheelchair racing), Magadaline Madzivire (wheelchair racing), Thandiwe Ndlovu (wheelchair racing).

Sportsman of the Year with a disability

Viren Mehta (intellectual golf), Elford Moyo (wheelchair racing0, Samson Muroyiwa (wheelchair racing).

Team of the Year

Davis Cup Team, Junior golf team, Zimbabwe darts women national team.

Coach of the Year

Martin Dzuwa (Davis Cup team), Dhlamini Mtonzima (darts), Philip Tshuma (junior golf team).

Technical official of the Year

Rick Fulton (triathlon), Joyce Muchenu (basketball), Patrick Mukondiwa (boxing).

Women in sport Award

Eugenia Chidhakwa (tertiary sports), Ginny Rose (hockey), Lyn Joanne Swanepoel (rowing).

Sports administration of the Year

Basketball Union of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Ladies Golf Union, Zimbabwe Karate Union.

Sport development of the Year

Bowls Zimbabwe, National Darts Association of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Karate Union.