Olympic medallist Wayde van Niekerk became the first athlete to win the SA Sports Star of the Year awards back to back after he scooped yet another accolade in as many months in Bloemfontein last night.
The awards have kept pouring in for Van Niekerk ever since he made Olympic history in August.
The sprint sensation was honoured at home last night, reigning supreme at the 11th South African Sports Awards.
Like last year, Van Niekerk won the sportsman of the year award and was also honoured with the best Olympic athlete award.
But the night didn't only belong to Van Niekerk, as 800m runner Caster Semenya also ascended the podium to claim the sportswoman of the year award.
Semenya, who fought the odds to win gold at the Olympics, was also nominated for the main award, along with Van Niekerk and Proteas cricket star Kagiso Rabada.
But it was Van Niekerk's record-breaking feat at the Rio Olympics which seemingly proved the difference.
The 24-year-old sprinter pulled off one of the most amazing pieces of Olympic history as he clocked 43.03 to win the 400m race, breaking the 43.18 record set by American sprinter Michael Johnson 17 years ago.
He has already raked in two international awards for his Olympic exploits and his achievements at the African Championships.
Ilse Hayes won the sportswoman of the year with disability award after she ran a season best to win gold at the Paralympics while Charl du Toit won the sportsman of the year with disability for his Olympics exploits.
Ntando Mahlangu pipped Henri Schoeman and Brad Binder for the newcomer of the year award – just reward for the 14 year old's silver medal in the 200m at the Paralympics.
The team of the year award went to Mamelodi Sundowns mainly for their league championship and the League Cup. But it may well have been for their CAF Champions League success.
However, the coach of the year award went to Anna Botha and not Pitso Mosimane. Botha guided Van Niekerk to Olympic glory.
Very few athletes can quite capture the imagination of Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt.
But that's exactly what Van Niekerk did as he also left many around the world in awe.
Yet there can no fitting and greater honour than national recognition.
©NewAge
