Sportspeople, administrators, officials, organisations and schools who shone on the sporting front were acknowledged for putting Ekurhuleni on the map.
Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (SRAC) in Ekurhuleni Clr Dorah Mlambo thanked the sports stars for the effort they put into unearthing their God given talents.
“The enthusiasm and self-discipline you display on the field of your different sporting codes is what pushes us, as the municipality, to want to invest more in the growth and development of sports within the City of Ekurhuleni,” said Mlambo.
“Sport is a unique phenomenon; it has a unifying effect and it is for this reason that, as the city, we continue to support it and continue to encourage all citizens to affiliate themselves to any sporting code.”
Benoni’s running legend, Frith van der Merwe, who could not be at the function, was awarded the MMC’s Special Merit Award for her contribution to the development, transformation and upliftment of sport within the community of Ekurhuleni.
Laerskool Rynfield scooped the award for Primary Sport School of the Year, ahead of nominees Rynfield Primary School and Kempton Park’s Laerskool Kruinsig.
Laerskool Rynfield drum majorette coach Celia Opperman, who trained the Protea drum majorette team during the World Championships in Croatia, last year, was acknowledged as the Coach of the Year.
Madi, who spent eight years of her life at Kids Haven, on receiving her Sportswoman of the Year Award, told the City Times: “It is about time that wrestling is recognised in the sports community.
“I am extremely happy to receive the award and it inspires me to go forward in the sport.”
The 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist has been hard at work in training as she aims to achieve her dream of qualifying for next year’s Olympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro.
She will head to Madrid on July 8, to compete at the Grand Prix of Spain, in the women’s 53kg freestyle discipline, where she hopes to earn her spot on the plane to Brazil next year.
“I hope to win a medal in Spain, but I know it will be tough,” Madi said.
“All the Olympians will be there.”
Full list of nominees and winners (in green):
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