Ruswahl and Alexa are tops at UJ awards

AUCKLAND PARK – The best of the best are rewarded for their hard work at UJ sport awards.

The executive dean of business and economics, Daneel van Lill; squash player Alexa Pienaar, the sportswoman of the year; and deputy vice chancellor of employees and student affairs, Tumi Mketi. Photo: Nicholas Zaal.

Squash, hockey and athletics players stole the show at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Sports Gala Awards evening – a razzle-dazzle black-tie event held at Johannesburg Country Club on 12 October.

Long jumper Ruswahl Samaai (26) took his second consecutive UJ sportsman of the year award, while squash player Alexa Pienaar won sportswoman of the year as well as student sportsperson of the year.

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Shotput and discus thrower, Kyle Blignaut was named club sportsperson of the year, while hockey players Kristen Paton was age category sportswoman of the year and Tyson Dlungwana bagged age category sportsman of the year.

Alexa Pienaar and Ruswahl Samaai are sportswoman and sportsman of the year, respectively. Photo: Nicholas Zaal.

“Each year I aim to win this award,” said a gleaming Samaai afterwards. The transport management student said each year he set himself a greater distance to aim for in long jump but did not tell anyone what it was. “I leave it to people to see the goals I aim for by the distances I jump.”

Samaai represented South Africa at the IAAF World Championships in London and came third with a jump of 8.35m. He also competed in the IAAF Diamond League on four occasions and finished second in Sweden, England and Zurich. He came first in Rabat, equalling his distance at the World Championships

Ruswahl Samaai is sportsman of the year twice in a row now. Photo: Nicholas Zaal.

Alexa Pienaar is sportswoman of the year as well as student sportswoman of the year. Photo: Nicholas Zaal.

Pienaar said, “Its great to be recognised for your hard work as you don’t always realise it yourself. I was surprised more than anything to get the awards.” She aims to do the same next year.

Dlungwana said, “As soon as they started describing the winner, I knew it was me and I gave a sigh of relief. I knew I made it again.” This was his second consecutive award for the age category sportsman of the year. He added that it was satisfying to have all the hard work he put in throughout the year be recognised.

Tyson Dlungwana receives his trophy for age category sportsman of the year award. Photo: Nicholas Zaal.

Paton is currently competing in the hockey inter-provincial tournament and was not able to collect her award. Assistant hockey manager, Hitler Dlamini said Paton was indispensable to the UJ and Southern Gauteng hockey teams because she ‘makes the team stick together’.