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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter

FORMER CAPS United striker, Leonard Tsipa, scooped the inaugural China edition, of the Zimbabwe Achievers Awards Sportsperson of the Year award.

Tsipa is coaching a junior side, Academy Beijing Guoan, in China.

He was honoured ahead of two other Zimbabwean sports personalities based in that country.

Tatenda Mafumhe, who is a Physical Education teacher and has an association with the Wuhan Baiji rugby club, was the other nominee.

He is in the process of developing a rugby programme, at the school, where he works.

The other nominee Tawanda Dozva, who is a basketball and athletics coach, is also a sports administrator by profession.

He is currently a basketball coach at a club in Hailer City.

The Zimbabwe Achievers Awards have been running for 10 years.

They started in the United Kingdom and they are the brainchild of Conrad Mwanza.

They have been held in several countries, such as Australia and the United States of America, and were launched in China, on October 2.

The 39-year-old Tsipa is a former CAPS United and Dynamos forward.

He scooped the Golden Boot award, in the domestic Premiership, in 2004, with the Green Machine, under the guidance of Charles Mhlauri.

Twelve years later, in 2016, he defied age, and claimed the award again.

Tsipa is now into coaching, where he is in charge of players from Under-6 up to Under-16, in China.

His youthful players have been participating in different tournaments across the country.

Tsipa, who is staying together with his family in China, said he felt humbled to be recognised.

“I am so excited that people voted for me and I got this award,’’ he said.

“Although I have won many awards in my career, as a footballer, it always feels good to be noticed for what you are doing.

“I am enjoying coaching the young players.

“I give glory to God, I also thank my wife Samantha, who has always been a pillar of strength, in my life.’’

Tsipa was forced into retirement in 2017, when he could not recover, from a nagging injury.

He began his career, at the turn of the millennium, and had brief stints in Austria, and Serbia.

He won the league title with CAPS United in 2004, 2005, and 2016.

The forward briefly quit football in 2006, when he relocated to the United Kingdom.

He returned home and had a stint in Botswana, before reviving his romance, with the local league

ZAA China director, James Nyakudanga, said they had 19 categories, including the Sportsperson award.

“The awards’ aim is to celebrate Zimbabweans doing big things in their respective diaspora communities.

“This year, for China, there were nominees, across 19 categories, including Sportsperson of the Year.’’