SA professional boxer and former two-time IBF light-flyweight world champion Sivenathi “The Special One” Nontshinga was crowned the biggest winner at the 2024 Eastern Cape Sports Achievers Awards on Friday.
The ceremony at the ICC Boardwalk in Gqeberha recognised and celebrated sports stars, federations and teams that have excelled both on and off the field during the June 1 2023 to June 30 2024 period, across 22 categories.
The 25-year-old, who could not attend the event because he was in Japan to defend his world title, was crowned Sports Star of the Year, walking away with a new VW Polo in the process.
The Herald’s sister publication Daily Dispatch’s sports writer, Anathi Wulushe, won the Sports Journalist of the Year award.
Nontshinga lost his IBF junior-flyweight via a ninth-round stoppage to Masamichi Yabuki in Japan on Saturday.
Speaking in a clip played on the day, he said he felt honoured to have received the biggest award at the SA event.
“I would like to thank the Eastern Cape department of sport for nominating me,” Nontshinga said.
“The nomination means there is something that I am doing right, so I appreciate that.
“To my supporters who voted for me: thank you so much for the lovely support.
“I appreciate you and know you are part of this journey, and you are my family.
“I am sorry to have missed this year’s event.
“Now that I have won the award I would like to thank my team, people who are always behind me, and the supporters who are always there for me during my ups and downs.”
Awethu Zumana, general manager for the department of sport and recreation in the Eastern Cape, congratulated this year’s nominees and winners.
“The awards went very well; we were quite happy that all the nominees and dignitaries received prizes.
“The awards were a display of excellence in the Eastern Cape, and we were delighted with the presence of the sports minister, the premier and our own MEC.
“We are happy that we announced the sports star of the year as Sivenathi Nontshinga.
“All other recipients of the awards are also getting a monetary thank you, as well as the awards and certificates.
“We would like to grow the awards and make them bigger.
“We want to ensure that we can include more teams and reach beyond simply the urban areas.
“We can go into the rural areas and recognise talent there, but we are looking for partnerships to grow them so we can have more categories and ensure the awards are as inclusive as possible, and covering different areas codes,” Zumana said.
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