Top honours went to Tatjana Schoenmaker when she was named the Sportswoman of the Year 2021.
Tatjana stood out as a leading women’s sports figure in the country after her achievements at the 2020 Olympic Games.
After the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games the second edition of the Tshwane Sports Confederation Women in Sports Awards, as sanctioned by the Gauteng Sports Confederation and City of Tshwane, was held on February 15 in celebration of the remarkable achievements and unmatched potential of women and girls in sport for the period of August 1, 2020, to August 31, 2021.
Schoenmaker set the pace for the prestigious awards in a remarkable year for the swimmer who also won the TSC President Excellent Award. She won the gold medal and set the world record in the 200m breaststroke, winning the silver medal in the 100m breaststroke at the 2020 Olympic Games.
She is the world record holder in the long course 200m breaststroke.
In competitive categories, Sponsor of the Year was awarded to SPAR and Sports Team of the Year, Gauteng Jaguars (netball).
“As the Tshwane Sports Confederation through this awards, we salute our women and girls for their endless, selfless and dedicated will to change the mindset of our community and South Africans at large, ensuring social inclusion and social integration, stability, progress and long-term development of our nation, through sport,” said Winston Meyer, president of the Tshwane Sports Confederation.
The TWISA 2021 awards evening had many dignitaries present including the MMC of Social Development and Community Services Peggy de Bruin, who in her opening speech re-emphasised the importance of women in sport.
The winners in the various categories are:
• Sportswoman of the Year: Tatjana Schoenmaker – aquatics
• Sports Team of the Year: Gauteng Jaguars – netball
• Sportswoman of the Year with a disability: Simone Kruger – athletics
• Most Promising Athlete of the Year: Precious Molepo – athletics
• School Sports Athlete of the Year: Viwe Jingqi – athletics
• Most Promising Team of the Year: TUKS Netball 2 – netball
• Community Sport and Recreation Programme: Altus Sport and Faith & Hope Foundation
• Coach of the Year (individual sport): Irma Reyneke – athletics
• Coach of the Year (team sport): Jenny Van Dyk – netball
• Technical Official of the Year: Michelle Joubert – hockey
• Administrator of the Year: Dannel Kruger – rugby
• Sports Journalist of the Year: Zeldine Fourie
• Sports Personality of the Year Kokkie Sieling – hockey
• Sponsor of the Year:- Spar
• Volunteer of the Year: Dimakatso Mathebe
Presidents Award: winners were Lynnette Ferreira, Helen van der Walt, Kokkie Sieling, Rosina Sibande, Riana Bezuidenhout, Faith Sibeko and Linda de Jager.
For the first time, the Tshwane Sports Confederation introduced the TSC President Excellence Award. This award, standing separately from the President’s Award, will not be automatically awarded each year, but only to a female or women’s team who had performed and achieved victory in her/their sport code on the global stage.
The winner of this award is Tatjana Schoenmaker.
