SASCOC | Team SA achievers recognised at Gauteng Sports awards
Team SA’s Olympians were recognised in two different awards ceremonies on Sunday night. At the Gauteng Sports Awards, Tatjana Smith, Bayanda Walaza, Simone Kruger and Rocco Meiring all received a trophy, while at the World Rugby awards, Selvyn Davids was named in the men’s Sevens Team of the Year.
Team SA’s most accomplished Olympian, Smith, who has two Olympic gold medals and two silvers, was named Sportswoman of the Year and she also received a R350,000 cheque for receiving the MEC’s special achievement recognition award.
“What an amazing prize,” Smith said. “It’s always nice being celebrated but to receive the financial backing that follows means a lot to us athletes. We can’t do it without the finances.”
Walaza, part of the heroic men’s 4x100m relay team that won silver at the Paris Olympics, was named Sportsman of the Year, while Paralympic discus gold medallist Simone Kruger received the Sportswoman with a Disability award. Swimming’s Meiring was named Coach of the Year.
While World Rugby honoured Springbok Pieter-Steph du Toit with men’s Player of the Year, and seven Springboks made the 15’s Team of the Year, Selvyn Davids, captain of the Team SA who won bronze in the Paris Olympics, earned a spot in the Men’s Sevens Dream Team.
