Tonight is the night! . . . stage set for Regional Sport Awards

Eddie Chikamhi-Zimpapers Sports Hub

THE podium is set and the red carpet rolled as a cast of sport luminaries from the Southern Africa region are tonight set to invade the capital for the 2025 Regional Annual Sport Awards.

The event, which will be officiated by President Mnangagwa, will draw together athletes and officials from 10 regional countries to celebrate sporting excellence, resilience and the unifying power of sport.

Running with the theme; “Celebrating Excellence, Inspiring Innovation”, the awards ceremony organised by Africa Union Sports Council Region 5, will be taking place in Zimbabwe for the first time since its inauguration in 2016.

AUSC chief executive Stanley Mutoya yesterday said they were looking forward to a memorable event in Zimbabwe, which also turns out to be his country of birth.

“On behalf of the African Union Sports Council, Region 5, and indeed the entire Southern African sporting community, we express our deepest appreciation to President Mnangagwa, who is also the SADC Chairman, for graciously accepting the invitation to serve as a guest of honour at the seventh edition of the Regional Annual Sports Awards,” said Mutoya.

The festivities will start as early as 6am today with a golf event featuring Sports Ministers from the region as well as AUSC’s local partners.

All the nominees will be involved in outreach programmes where they are expected to engage communities and inspire up-and-coming young athletes.

“Allow me to express our profound gratitude to the government and the people of Zimbabwe for hosting what promises to be a spectacular and memorable edition of RASA,” said Mutoya.

“The hospitality, the attention to detail, and the national pride with which this event is being delivered are commendable.

“We are grateful for the support of the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, the Local Organising Committee, chaired by Dr (Eugenia) Chidhakwa, and all stakeholders who have contributed to making this occasion a celebration worthy of our heroes.

“As we prepare to crown the region’s finest, let us remember that RASA is not just about who wins, it’s about honouring journeys, igniting dreams, and building legacies.”

Most of the nominees and dignitaries, who also include sports ministers from the region, are already in Zimbabwe ahead of the awards.

In fact, by yesterday afternoon, 30 of the 36 nominees had also arrived in Zimbabwe.

Mutoya emphasised the importance of the event, which will see an array of sports stars, officials and sports journalists lining up for the awards in recognition of their excellence in various sports fields.

“RASA is more than just an award ceremony. It is the heartbeat of the region’s commitment to recognising and rewarding excellence in sport,” he said.

“It is a platform that showcases the extraordinary achievements of our athletes, coaches, our administrators, journalists and sports persons living with disabilities; people who represent the very best of what our region has to offer.

“The purpose of the RASA is simple yet powerful: to motivate, to celebrate and to inspire. At its core, RASA is part of our broader AUSC Region 5 rewards programme, which also includes the 10-Year Service Awards, the Medals of Honour, as well as the Sports Hall of Fame. And we are very happy to be driving these four elements of our programme,” said Mutoya.

Two Zimbabwean athletes, a coach and a journalist made the shortlist in five of the 10 competitive categories.

The nominations, which were derived from the 2024 Annual National Sports Awards (ANSA), also included Zimpapers sports journalist Ellina Mhlanga who was nominated for the regional Sports Journalist of the Year award, and rugby coach Piet Benade.

But United States-based Olympian Tapiwanashe Makarawu stands out with a double nomination for the RASA Sportsman of the Year as well as Sportsperson of the Year awards.

The 24-year-old sprinter recently made history by walking away with both the 2024 Sportsman of the Year and overall Sportsperson of the Year accolades at the domestic ANSA awards.

They will compete for the accolades alongside their peers from regional countries that include Angola, Botswana, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia.

The integrity of RASA is anchored in a robust adjudication process. The journey begins at national level, where each member state hosts its own sports awards, with winners from these national events automatically qualify as nominees of the RASA.

A short-listing process then follows, conducted by all the regional structures. The final stage involves a collegiate of 40 seasoned journalists drawn from all 10 member countries, who cast votes in 10 competitive categories.

The Country of the Year and the Confederation of the Year awards are decided by an independent panel of three regional adjudicators with vast expertise and experience in sport.

RASA is organised by the AUSC Region 5 to motivate member states, sports confederations, team’s sports and individual athletes by recognising and celebrating meritorious service and outstanding achievements in sport.

Notable past winners include Zimbabwe’s own Kirsty Coventry, the inaugural Sportswoman of the Year in 2016, and South African sprint sensation Wayde van Niekerk, who claimed the Sportsperson of the Year title in both 2016 and 2017.

Other recipients of the top award include Karabo Sibanda (2018), Caster Semenya (2019), Andile Dlamini (2023), and Letsile Tebogo (2024). The awards were not held from 2020 to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic

RASA was first hosted by South Africa in 2016 and remained there until 2018.

Namibia hosted in 2019, before the COVID-19 hiatus. The event resumed in 2023 in Eswatini, followed by Lusaka, Zambia, in 2024.

REGIONAL ANNUAL SPORTS AWARDS 2025 TOP 3 NOMINEES

Sportswoman of the year with a disability:

Lahja Ishitile Athletics T11 Namibia

Taonele Banda Athletics T13 Malawi

Simone Kruger Discuss F38 South Africa

Coach of the year:

Kebonyemodisa Dose Mosimanyane (Athletics Botswana)

Pieter Benade (Rugby Namibia)

Douglas Kalembo (Athletics Zambia)

Junior Female Sportsperson of the year:

Kellis Ndlovu (Cricket Zimbabwe)

Natalie Katlo Banda (Chess Botswana)

Mercy Chipasula (Football Zambia)

Junior Male Sportsperson of the year:

Collen Busang Kebinatshipi (Athletics Botswana)

Luca Fraser (Swimming Eswatini)

Rafael Sharon (Chess Zambia)

Sports Journalist Award of the year:

Cosmas Mulenga (Zambia)

Ellina Mhlanga (Zimbabwe)

Limba Mupetami (Namibia)

Sportsman of the year:

Letsile Tebogo (Athletics Botswana)

Akani Simbine (Athletics South Africa)

Tapiwa Makarawu (Athletics Zimbabwe)

Sportsman of the year with a disability:

Mpumelelo Mhlongo (Athletics T44 South Africa)

Chris Kinda (Athletics T11 Namibia)

Moses Misoya (Athletics T13 Malawi)

Sportsperson of the year:

Letsile Tebogo (Athletics Botswana)

Tabitha Chawinga (Football Malawi)

Tapiwanashe Makarawu (Athletics Zimbabwe)

Sportswoman of the year:

Tabitha Chawinga (Football Malawi)

Barbra Banda (Football Zambia)

Oratile Nowe (Athletics Botswana)

Team of the year:

Botswana’s 4 x 400 Men’s Relay Team Athletics

Zambia’s 4×400 Men’s Relay Team Athletics

Malawi’s U19 Women’s Cricket National Team Cricket Malawi

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